Oaks Towers and Mushroom Rings
by Jazz0x0x
Summary: this story is the sequel to my first From Rings To Dust. As before I don't own Lotr or Maleficent. this story is set in the two towers we have yet to meet the children of the air.
1. Now Were Did We, Oh Yeah Here

**_Oaks Towers and Mushroom Rings_**

**Now where did we, oh yeah here…**

Frodo and Sam scaling down a cliff face as Diaval flies around them, "Can you see the bottom?" "No! Don't look down, Sam! Just keep going!" A box falls from Sam's pocket. "Oh! Catch it! Grab it, Mister Frodo!" Frodo tries to grabs the box, but slips and falls. "I think I've found the bottom." Sam reaches the bottom. "Bogs and rope, and goodness know what. It's not natural. None of it." "What's in this?" "Nothing. Just a bit of seasoning'. I thought maybe if we was having a roast chicken one night or something'." "Roast chicken?" "You never know." "Sam! My dear Sam." "It's very special, that. It's the best salt in all the Shire." "It is special. It's a little bit of home." Frodo examines the hanging rope. "We can't leave this for someone to follow us down." "Who's gonna follow us down here, Mister Frodo? It's a shame really. Lady Galadriel gave me that. Real Elvish Rope. Well, there's nothing for it. It's one of my knots. Won't come free in a hurry." Sam tugs on the rope. The knot loosens and the rope falls around the Hobbits and Diaval who was perched on Frodo's shoulder, Frodo says in disbelief "Real Elvish rope?" Frodo and Sam are walking on rocky terrain. They stop to look into the distance. "Mordor. The one place in Middle-Earth we don't wanna see any closer. It's the one place we are trying to get to. It's just where we can't get." "Let's face it Mister Frodo. We're lost. I don't think Gandalf meant for us to come this way." "He didn't mean for a lot of things to happen Sam. But they did and I think that our course is the right one (he says the last part thinking of what Maleficent said on the shore before he set of with Diaval)." Frodo sees the Eye of Sauron as he looked in Mordor's direction and falls down, panting. "Mister Frodo? It's the Ring, isn't it?" "It's getting heavier." He clutches the Ring, and then takes a sip from his canteen. "What food have we got left?" "Well, let me see." Sam takes out a package from his backpack. "Oh yes, lovely. Lembas bread. And look! More Lembas bread." Sam breaks off a piece and tosses it to Frodo and look sat Diaval who looks at them and flies off only to return later with some small rodent. They eat in silence till, "I don't usually hold to foreign food, but this elvish stuff, it's not bad." "Heh, nothing ever dampens you spirits, does it Sam?" Sam looks up, "Those rain clouds might." The hobbits huddle in the night rain. They continue walking through the rocky terrain. "This looks strangely familiar." "Because we've been here before. We're going in circles." "Uh! What's that horrid stink? I wonder if there's a nasty bog nearby. Can you smell it?" "Yes, I can smell it." Frodo turns to look at Sam, giving him a meaningful look. "We're not alone."

The hobbits are sleeping under the pale moon as Diaval looks out from the shadow as watch. A figure climbs down from above them muttering in gibberish only it understood till it got closer, "You thieves! You thieves… You filthy little thieves! Where is it? Where is it? They stole it from us. My Precious." Gollum creeps closer, "Curse them! We hates them! It's ours it is… and we wants it!" Gollum reaches out his hand towards the hobbits as Diaval gives them the signal, the hobbits jump up and grab Gollum's arms and pull him down. They struggle. Gollum gets loose and jumps on Frodo. They fall, and Gollum sees the Ring around Frodo's neck, He desperately tries to get it, but Sam grabs him as Diaval attacks his face Gollum wriggles loose once more but not unscathed his face has horrible gashes that bleed black blood in the moon light, he then jumps on Frodo again and as Diaval attacks him he bats the little raven away and Diaval hit a rock and is left unconscious. "Diaval" Sam says as he gets a hold of him.

Gollum bites him on the shoulder, and clasps his arms and legs around Sam. Frodo draws Sting and holds it to Gollum's throat. "This is Sting. You've seen it before, haven't you — Gollum!" "Yes." "Release him, or I'll cut your throat!" Gollum slowly loosens his grip on Sam and lets out a wail. It is light again. And Diaval is nestled in Frodo's arms as he is nursing a bruised wing, Gollum has been tied at the neck with Sam's elvish rope and is dragged along as he screams for all to hear "It burns! It burns us! It freezes! Nasty elves twisted it. Take it off us!" "Quiet you! It's hopeless! Every orc in Mordor is gonna hear this racket! Let's just tie him up and leave him!" "No! That would kill us, kill us!" "It's nothing more than you deserve!" Frodo looks at Gollum then looks at Diaval and then back, "Maybe he does deserve to die. But now that I see him, I do pity him." "We'll be nice to them, if they'll be nice to us. Take it off us. We swears to do what you wants. We swears!" "There's no promise you can make that I can trust." Gollum kneels in front of Frodo and begs him. "We swears to serve the Master of the Precious. We will swear on — on the Precious! (Gollum Gollum)" "The Ring is treacherous. It will hold you to your word." "Yes… on the Precious… on the Precious." "I don't believe you! Get down! Get down!" Gollum, scared, tries to get away, but Sam jerks the rope and Gollum crashes to the ground. "Sam!" "He's trying to trick us! We let him go; he'll throttle us in our sleep!" Frodo approaches Gollum, who is panting and holding his throat. "You know the way to Mordor?" "Yes." "You've been there before?" Gollum nods scared to answer, "Yes." Frodo takes the rope off Gollum's neck, and Gollum seems surprised, "You will lead us to the Black Gate."

Gollum rushes off and the hobbits follow him, Gollum talks to himself with his twisted split personality, "To the Gate, to the Gate! To the Gate, the masters says. Yes!" "No! We won't go back. Not there. Not to him. They can't make us. Gollum! Gollum!" "But we swore to serve the master of the precious!" "No, Ashes and dust and thirst there is, and pits, pits, pits and Orcses, thousands of Orcses, and always the Great Eye watching, watching." Gollum looks at the hobbits and screams and disappears over some rocks. "Hey! Come back now! Come back! There! What did I tell you? He's run off, the old villain. So much for his promises." Gollum reappears, "This way Hobbitses! Follow me!" "Well he's annoying that's for saw can I get Maleficent to scold it yet," at Sam and Frodo's amused look Diaval chuckled.


	2. Saruman's Hoard, Maleficent's Protection

Meanwhile the Uruk-hai are marching, carrying Merry and Pippin on their backs. "Merry! Merry!" Orcs emerge from up ahead, "You're late. Our master grows impatient. He wants the Shire-rats now." "I don't take orders from Orc-maggots. Saruman will have his prize. We will deliver them." "Merry! Merry! Wake up! My friend is sick! He needs water. Please!" "Sick is he? Give him some medicine, boys!" Uruks growl, then one pours a sticky red liquid into Merry's mouth, Merry chokes, "Stop it!" "Can't take his draught!" "Leave him alone!" "Why? You want some? Huh? Then keep your mouth shut." "Merry." "Hello, Pip." "You're hurt." "I'm fine. It was just an act." "An act?" "See? I fooled you too. Don't worry about me, Pippin." One of the big orcs sniffs the air. "What is it? What do you smell" "Man-flesh and something unknown." "Aragorn!" "They've picked up our trail! Let's go!" The Uruk-hai continues marching at increased speed. Pippin tears his elven brooch off his cloak with his teeth, and drops it onto the ground.

Aragorn is lying down with his ear pressed to the ground. "Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent. Hurry!" Aragon runs off, followed by Legolas, Gimli and Arwen with Maleficent stood affair ways behind as she looked at the horizon as a tear leaves her eye as they shut and then flash gold, she mutters "protect them" and a golden swirl of magic goes out. "Come on, Gimli!" "Three day's and night's pursuit… no food, no rest, and no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell." The five of them run across plains. The companions enter the valley where the Uruk-hai stopped. Aragorn bends down to pick up Pippin's brooch. "Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." Legolas stops and turns to Aragorn. "They may yet be alive." "Less than a day ahead of us, come!" Gimli stumbles and rolls to the ground. "Come Gimli! We are gaining on them." "I'm wasted on cross-country. We dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances." The three of them come over a hill and pause, gazing across the plains. "Rohan. Home of the horse-lords." "There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures, sets its will against us." Legolas scans the landscape before him. "Legolas! What do your elf eyes see?" Legolas informs them "The Uruks turn northeast. They are taking the hobbits to Isengard!" "Saruman."

Isengard, Saruman is standing in his chamber, his palm over the Palantír. "The world is changing." View changes to the tower of Barad-Dûr, showing orcs matching across a bridge. "Who now has the strength to stand against the armies of Isengard and Mordor?" "To stand against the might of Sauron and Saruman, and the union of the Two Towers." On top of the tower of Barad-Dûr sits the Eye of Sauron. "Together, My Lord Sauron, we shall rule this Middle-Earth." Orcs are working in the caverns of Isengard. "The old world will burn in the fires of industry. Forests will fall. A new order will rise. We will drive the machinery of war with the sword and the spear and the iron fist of the orcs." "We have only to remove those who oppose us." Saruman surveys the pits of Isengard, "I want them armed and ready to march within two weeks!" Orc replied scared "But my Lord, there are too many! They cannot all be armed in time, we don't have the means." "Build a dam, block the stream, and work the furnaces night and day." "We don't have enough fuel to feed the fires." "The Forest of Fangorn lies on our doorstep. Burn it." "Yes!"

Saruman's holds an audience in his chamber. "We will fight for you." "Swear it." Dunlending cuts his hand with a large knife. Blood drops out of his fist. Dunlending shouting, "We will die for Saruman." Saruman is standing in the middle of a group of Wildmen, who are holding torches and weapons. "The horsemen took your lands. They drove your people into the hills to scratch the living off rocks." The group murmurs in agreement. "Take back the lands they stole from you. Burn every village!" The crowd roars with approval. "It will begin in Rohan. Too long have these peasants stood against you. But no more."

The Wildmen and orcs attack a village. A woman calls out to her children. "Èothan, Èothan! You take your sister. You'll go faster with just two." She puts a little girl onto the horse in front of her brother. "But Papa says Èothan must not ride Garold. She's too big for him!" "Listen to me! You must ride to Edoras and raise the alarm. Do you understand me?!" "Yes mama!" "I don't want to leave! I don't wanna go!" "Listen to me. I will find you there." "Quickly!" She looks as her children ride away. "Go child!" and as the children flee a swirl of golden magic hides them once they are out of their mothers sight.


	3. Snake Under Horses Feet

The army sets fire to the village. Èothan and Freda look back from a distance. "Rohan, my lord, is ready to fall."

On the banks of the Isen River, bodies of men and horses lie in the rain, Men on horseback approach. A man of noble stature shouted "Théodred. Find the king's son!" "Mordor will pay for this." "These Orcs are not from Mordor." Èomer kicks over a dead Orc, revealing a white handprint on its armour, "My Lord Èomer. Over here!" Èomer rushes to Théodred and turns him over, "He's alive!" The group of horsemen ride across the plain. Èomer carryies a wounded Théodred in front of him.

A woman runs up the stairs to the Golden Hall of Meduseld and enters a chamber where Èomer has taken Théodred; she kneels in front of the bed, "Théodred!" Èomer gives his sister a meaningful look, and Èowyn draws back the covers and sees that Théodred's wound is fatal. The two are with king Théoden, who is sitting motionless on his throne, looking aged beyond his years. "Your son is badly wounded my lord." "He was ambushed by orcs. If we don't defend our country, Saruman will take it by force." "That is a lie!" Gríma appears from the shadows and walks to the king. "Saruman the White has ever been our friend and ally." Théoden mumbles feebly to Gríma, who leans closer to the King. "Orcs are roaming freely across our lands. Unchecked, unchallenged, killing at will." "Orcs bearing the white hand of Saruman." Èomer drops a helmet onto the ground. It has the white hand print on it. "Why do you lay these troubles on an already troubled mind?" "Can you not see? Your uncle is wearied by your malcontent, your warmongering." "Warmongering?!" Èomer grabs Gríma and pushes him against a pillar. "How long is it since Saruman bought you? What was the promised price, Gríma? When all the men are dead you would take a share of the treasure?" Gríma's eyes flick to right, watching Èowyn as she walks by, who stops to stare back for a moment before departing. Èomer jerks Gríma again and clutches his hand around Gríma's jaw. "Too long have you watched my sister, too long have you haunted her steps," Gríma's eyes look to the left and he relaxes, and Èomer is pulled off Gríma by guards. "You see much, Èomer son of Èomund. Too much." "You are banished forthwith from the kingdom of Rohan, and all its domains, under pain of death." "You have no authority here. Your orders mean nothing." "This order does not come from me. It comes from the king." Gríma displays an order with a sunburst seal and a scrawled signature. "He signed it this morning." Èomer grunts as the guards take him.


	4. Metal's Bite

Uruk-hai and Orcs, continue to march. Aragorn, Legolas, Arwen and Gimli run after them as Maleficent flew above. "Keep breathing, that's the key! Breathe! Hooh!" "They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them."

The Uruk-hai and orcs stop at nightfall. "We ain't goin' no further 'till we've had a breather!" "Get a fire going!" this said they start hacking at the trees. Pippin crawls towards Merry slowly as his hands are bound. "Merry! Merry!" "I think we might have made a mistake, leaving the Shire, Pippin." As the orcs chop at the trees, low groans and rumbles come from the forest. "What's making that noise?" "It's the trees." "What?" "You remember the Old Forest? On the borders of Buckland? Folks used to say that there was something in the water that made the trees grow tall, and come alive." "Alive?" "Trees that could whisper, talk to each other. Even move." What the hobbits did not know was that an old friend had just passed by the edge of the forest as she felt its pain and had gone to investigate what she saw infuriated her for Derw had not seen a tree butchered in such a way before and then as she looked at the orc perpetrators she saw the bounded hobbits.

"I'm starving. We ain't had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days!" "Yeah! Why can't we have some meat?" The orc rests his eyes on the hobbits. "What about them? They're fresh!" "They are not for eating!" "What about their legs? They don't need those. Ooh! They look tasty!" "Get back, scum! The prisoners go to Saruman. Alive and unspoiled." "Alive? Why alive? Do they give good sport?" "They have something. An Elvish weapon. The master wants it for the war." The orcs continue to argue and are unaware of the hobbits talking "They think we have the Ring." "Shhh! As soon as they find out we don't, we're dead." "Just a mouthful. A bit off the flank." Uglúk cuts off Snaga's head. "Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!" The Uruk-hai pile on the dead orc. "Pippin, let's go!" The hobbits try to crawl away, but Pippin is caught by Grishnák. "Go on, call for help. Squeal! No one's gonna save you now!" A spear pierces the orc's back. Riders burst out and attack the orcs. "Pippin!" The hobbits head towards the forest. Suddenly Pippin turns and looks up at a pair of thrashing hooves bearing down on him.


	5. Of Sorrows Song

p class="MsoNormal"It is dawn. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli are running with Arwen bringing up the rear they had long since lost track of Maleficent's position in the skies. "A red sun rises. Blood has been spilt this night." Legolas says in a foreboding tone. The sound of horses is heard running towards them, the four fellowship members hide, A large group of cavalry appear, Aragorn comes out of hiding as they pass, Legolas, Arwen and Gimli behind him. "Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" At a signal from Èomer, the riders make a quick turn and head towards the four companions, encircling them. As they stop, they point their spears at them. "What business does two elves; a man and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" "Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine." Gimli says ever the tactician; Èomer gets off his horse as Aragorn puts a hand on Gimli's shoulder. "I would cut off your head off dwarf if it stood but a little higher from the ground." Legolas quickly aims an arrow at Èomer, "You would die before your stroke fell!" Aragorn pushes down Legolas' arm. "I'm Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Glóin, and Legolas, from the Woodland realm." Taking Arwen's hand "and this is Arwen daughter to lord Elrond of Rivendell we are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king." "Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe." Èomer removes his helmet and says looking at Aragon. "Not even his own kin." The spears are withdrawn, "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished." "The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked." Èomer gives Legolas a meaningful look, "And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." "I find that easy to believe as you have not the faintest knowledge of magic" at this thy all turn round as a winged woman drops from the sky, all their weapons are redrawn, "really now is that any way to show welcome to me" and with that she waved her hand and their weapons turned into blue Lilly's Aragon tries to defuse the situation "this is our final companion the lady Maleficent of the Fae" at the word Fae all the horsemen looked shocked and bowed to Maleficent as she turned the flowers back to swords "We are no spies. We track a band of Uruk-hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friend's captive." "The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." "But there were two hobbits; did you see two hobbits with them?" "They would be small, only children to your eyes." "We left none alive." "We piled the carcasses and burned them." Èomer Points to smoke in the distance. "Dead?" "I am sorry." Legolas rests a hand on Gimli. Èomer whistles, "Hasufel! Arod!" Three horses appear. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than the former masters? Farewell." Èomer mounts his horse. "Look for your friends, but do not trust in hope. It has forsaken these lands. We ride north!" Aragorn look on as the Riders depart./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"Aragorn, Arwen take the first two horses, Legolas and Gimli ride together towards the burning carcasses. Gimli starts to go through the pile of charred remains and pulls out a charred belt. "It's one of their little belts." Legolas bows his head and closes his eyes thinking the worsed as Arwen joins in saying "Hiro hyn hîdh ab wanath." (May they find peace in death.) Aragorn kicks at an orc helmet. He yells as if physically injured as he falls to his knees. "We failed them." Aragorn looks to the side and tracks catch his attention. "A Hobbit lay here, and the other." (Pippin yells as he looks up at a pair of thrashing hooves bearing down on him. He rolls over, avoiding them.) "They crawled." Aragorn starts to follow the tracks, with Legolas and Gimli following behind him as Maleficent tries to comfort Arwen into following. (Merry and Pippin crawl away from the battle.) "Their hands were bound." (Pippin rubs his bonds against an axe.) "Their bonds were cut." Aragorn holds up a broken rope. "They ran over here… and were followed." (The hobbits run away from the battle, dodging under a horse. As they flee, Grishnák grabs Pippin by his belt. "The belt! Run!" Pippin undoes his belt and the hobbits run off into the trees.) "The tracks lead away from the battle! Into… Fangorn Forest." The five look up into a very dense forest. "Fangorn! What madness drove them in there?" "It looks like the forests of my home dense and full of life," Maleficent says this with a happy smile all look at her like her world was more dangerous than theirs./p 


	6. Catch Up With The Hobbits

p class="MsoNormal"Somewhere deep in the forest the hobbits run, they collapse onto the ground, panting. "Did we lose him? I think we lost him." Grishnák bursts through the branches. "I'm gonna rip off your filthy little heads! Come here!" "Trees! Climb a tree!" The hobbits climb. Merry looks around and then sighs in relief. "He's gone." Merry is pulled by his legs and falls to the ground. Grishnák leans over him. Merry tries to kick him off. "Merry!" Pippin looks down and as he turns his head, he sees a pair of gleaming yellow eyes blinking in the tree, the tree then starts to move Pippin loses his grip and falls as tree catches him before he hits the ground. "Let's put a maggot hole in your belly." The orc hears a sound and turns to see a moving tree as the tree stomps and squashes the orc. "Run Merry!" Merry tries to run away but is scooped by the tree. "Little orcs! Búrarum." The tree starts to walk. "It's talking Merry. The tree is talking." "Tree! I am no tree! I am an Ent." "Tree herder! A shepherd of the forest." "Don't talk to it Merry. Don't encourage it." "Treebeard some call me." "And whose side are you on?" "Side? I am on nobody's side. Because nobody is on my side, little orc, nobody cares for the woods anymore." "We are not orcs. We are Hobbits and the dryads care for the woods" "Hobbits? Never heard of a Hobbit before and the dryads have not awoken since before the orcs." He strengthens his hold on the hobbits. "They come with fire, they come with axes. Biting, breaking, hacking, burning. Destroyers and usurpers. Curse them!" "No! You don't understand. We are Hobbits, Halfling's. Shire folk, Derw is a dryad and our friend" "Maybe you are, and maybe you aren't. The White Wizard will know." "White Wizard?" "Saruman!" Treebeard drops them on the ground and the Hobbits look up at a White Wizard./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Frodo and Sam follow Gollum through rocky terrain. "See, see, we've led you out! Hurry Hobbitses, hurry. Very lucky we find you." Gollum jumps on a rock. Frodo walks past and Gollum cowers as Sam nears, "Nice Hobbit." Sam steps in to the swamp, "Whoa! It's a bog! He's led us into a swamp!" "Swamp, yes yes. Come master. We will take you on safe paths, through the mist. Come Hobbits come! We move quickly." Gollum looks back and gestures for the hobbits to follow him. "I found it. I did. The way through the marshes. Orcs don't use it. Orcs don't know it. They go round for miles and miles. Come quickly. Soft and quick as shadows we must be."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Frodo, Sam, Diaval and Gollum have stopped to rest. Gollum eats a large worm, causing Sam to lose his appetite. "I hate this place. It's too quiet. There's been neither sight nor sound of a bird for two days." "No, no birdses to eat. No crunchable birdses. We are famished! Yes! Famished we are, precious." "Here." Frodo throws Gollum a piece of his bread. "What does it eats? Is it tasty?" Gollum starts to chokes on the Elven bread, "Aggh! It tries to chokes us! We can't eates Hobbit food! We must starve!" "Well starve then and good riddance!" "Oh! Cruel Hobbit! It does not care if we be hungry. It does not care if we should die, Not like Master, Master cares, Master knows." "Yes, precious. Once it takes hold of us it never lets go." Gollum reaches towards Frodo. "Don't touch me and that's not true Maleficent can remove its hold from a person with her magic." "What is a Mal…? Maleficent is it the winged elf from before that stared at us in the mines even in the dark we's could not hide, eyes like his she has, sees everything." As Diaval flew past getting them from their conversation the start seeing little fires burn in the swamp, Sam sees faces under the water. "There are dead things! Dead faces in the water!" "All dead. All rotten. Elves and men and orcses. A great battle long ago." Gollum turns to face the hobbits. "The Dead Marshes. Yes, yes! That is their name. This way. Don't follow the lights." Sam's foot slips again into the water. "Ohh!" "Careful now! Or Hobbits go down to join the dead ones, and light little candles of their own." Sometime later Frodo in a half-trance starts to follows the lights, drawn to one of the faces. He stares at it intently, suddenly its eyes open and Frodo falls into the water. "Frodo!" Under the surface, Frodo sees greenish, ghostly faces, screaming and reaching for him. Frodo is then pulled ashore by Gollum, looking at Gollum in disbelief. "Gollum?" "Don't follow the lights!" "Frodo! Are you all right?" Frodo lies panting, looking at Gollum./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Night has fallen over the bog, Sam is asleep, but Frodo is awake he holds the Ring in the palm of his hand, staring at it and stroking it. "So bright, so beautiful." Frodo hides the Ring and looks up to see Gollum stroking the centre of his palm. "Our Precious." "What did you say?" "Master should be resting. Master needs to keep up his strength." Frodo moves over and crouches in front of Gollum. "Who are you?" "Mustn't ask us, not its business. (gollum gollum)" "Gandalf told me you were one of the River Folk." "Cold be heart and hand and bone. And called be travellers far from home." "He said your life was a sad story." "They do not see what lies ahead when sun has failed and moon is dead." "You were not so different from a Hobbit once were you? — Sméagol." Gollum looks up slowly, "What did you call me?" "That was your name once, wasn't it? A long time ago." "My — My name… Smé — Sméagol."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"Soon after the sun had risen Gollum notices something overhead and screams at the sight. "Black Riders!" "Hide! Hide!" Frodo feels a sharp pain in his shoulder; Images of the Ringwraiths come to him in flashes. "C'mon Frodo, C'mon!" "They will see us! They will see us!" Frodo clutches at the Ring on his chest. Sam drags him across to hide beneath a bush. The Nazgûl appears riding a flying beast. "I thought they were dead?!" "Dead? No, you cannot kill them. No." The Nazgûl lets out a loud scream. "Wraiths! Wraiths on wings! They are calling for it. They are calling for the Precious!" The call of the Ring is very powerful and Frodo is taken over by it and tries to put the Ring on. Sam grabs hold of Frodo's hand just as he reaches for the Ring and holds his hand. "It's all right." The Nazgûl continues to circle, then flies away. "Hurry Hobbits. The Black Gate is very close."/p 


	7. Hello Man In White, Farewell Arwen

Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Maleficent and Arwen are in the Fangorn Forest. Gimli tastes some liquid on a leaf, and then spits it out. "Orc blood!" "These are strange tracks." "The air is so close here." "This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory… and anger." Bass voices are heard from the trees. Gimli raises his axe. "The trees are speaking to each other." "Gimli! Lower your axe." "They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it: waking up the trees, teaching them to speak." "They had help if you remember Derw's speech from the mines the first songs between the Dryads and the elves," as Arwen said this, the trees went silent for a moment "Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings." At this the trees groaned and scared him, "I would not let Derw hear you say that she may teach you a lesson you will regret" Legolas says over his shoulder (Gimli remembering her demonstration in the council goes rigid.) as he feels a presence and speaks to Aragon "Aragorn, nad no ennas!" (Something is out there!) "Man cenich?" (What do you see?) Legolas' eyes dart to his right. "The White Wizard approaches." "Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us!" Aragorn wraps his hand around the hilt of his sword, Gimli tightens his hold on his axe, and Legolas fingers his arrow. "We must be quick." The three turn around to attack, but are blinded by a bright light emanating from the White Wizard. Gimli's axe and Legolas' arrow are deflected and Aragorn drops his sword as it becomes hot in his grasp. "You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits." "Where are they?" "They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" "Who are you? Show yourself!"

The light dims, revealing Gandalf, dressed in white. Legolas bows before Gandalf, Gimli following him. "It cannot be!" Aragon says slow on the uptake "Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman." Legolas says regretfully. "I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been." "You fell!" "Through fire. And water ill I lay in the coldest of snow, Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time." Gandalf's eye becomes a realm of stars, ending in a white light. "Stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as the life age of the earth." Gandalf is now naked. His hair has turned white. He shudders with a deep gasp as life returns to him.

"But it was not the end. I felt light in me again, I've been sent back until my task is done." "Gandalf!" "Gandalf? Oh yes. That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name." Gimli exclaims over joyed "Gandalf!" "I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide." As Gandalf turned to the only one in the group that had not responded he said "the Vala give you their full support in whatever you decide to do," at this Maleficents eyes seemed to radiate happiness and the she followed as they walk along the forest. "One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed." "Edoras? That is no short distance!" "We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king." "Yes, and it will not be easily cured." "Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits here in this horrid, dark, and dank tree-infested…!" The trees rumble. "I mean charming, quite charming forest." "It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains." "In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." "Hmm?" "You still speak in riddles." Aragorn and Gandalf laugh. "A thing is about to happen here that has not happened since the Elder Days since the time that the first dryads and elves sang together. The Ent's are going to wake up and find that they are strong." "Strong? Oh, that's good." "So stop your fretting Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be." "This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one." Outside the forest, Gandalf whistles piercingly. An answering neigh is heard and a white horse appears from the plain. "That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." The horse stops in front of Gandalf. "Shadowfax." "He's the lord of all horses, and has been my friend through many dangers." Maleficent looks back at Arwen and says her goodbyes as she sends Arwen back to Rivendell with her magic, and the proceeds to explain her actions to the rest of the fellowship by saying that it was becoming far to dangerous for her to proceed on with them which Gandalf agreed with and as they rode in the shadow of Maleficent's wings Aragon pouted the whole way.


	8. Two Small Stones

Treebeard walks through the forest, carrying Merry and Pippin and reciting ancient poem.

"Oh rowan mine I saw you shine upon a summer's day. Upon your head how golden-red the crown you bore aloft."

Merry yawns. "Such a beautiful verse." "Is it much further?" "Bru-ra-hroom. Don't be hasty. You might call it far perhaps. My home lies deep in the forest near the roots of the mountain. I told Gandalf I would keep you safe and, safe is where I'll keep you. I believe you will enjoy this next one. It is one of my own compositions. Right, ahem."

"Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves and the dreams of trees unfold when woodland halls are green and cool, and the wind is in the west Come back to me. Come back to me, and say my land is best."

Merry and Pippin have fallen asleep. "Oh, oh. Sleep little Shirelings. Heed no nightly noise. Sleep 'til morning light, I have business in the forest. There are many to call. Many that must come. The shadow lies on Fangorn. The withering of all woods is drawing near. The trees have grown wild and dangerous. Anger festers in their hearts. They will harm you if they can. There are too few of us now. Too few of us left to manage them."


	9. What Needs To Be Said

p class="MsoNormal"Gandalf and Aragorn survey the night sky, "The veiling shadow that glowers in the East takes shape. Sauron will suffer no rival. From the summit of Barad-Dûr his Eye watches ceaselessly. But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumour has reached him: the heir of Númenor still lives. Sauron fears you, Aragorn. He fears what you may become. And so he'll strike hard and fast at the world of men. He will use his puppet Saruman to destroy Rohan. War is coming. Rohan must defend itself and therein lies our first challenge, for Rohan is weak and ready to fall. The King's mind is enslaved. It's an old device of Saruman's. His hold over King Théoden is now very strong. Sauron and Saruman are tightening the noose. But for all their cunning, we have one advantage. The Ring remains hidden, and that we should seek to destroy it has not yet entered their darkest dreams. And so the weapon of the enemy is moving towards Mordor in the hands of a hobbit. Each day brings it closer to the fires of Mount Doom. We must trust now in Frodo. Everything depends upon speed and the secrecy of his quest." "Do not regret your decision to leave him. Frodo must finish this task alone." "He is not alone. Sam went with him." "Did he? Did he indeed? Good. Yes, very good." As Gandalf was about to turn in he saw maleficent staring into the distance and gazing at Mordor, "is something troubling you dear one." "Yes as of late, I assume the Vala informed you of all that has happened in the past as the earth informed me but I feel something is amiss in the wind and my magic is moving me towards something that lies just out of reach." At this Gandalf looked back at her worried but her expression shifted as her eyes turned back to Fangorn forests direction. "You never asked what happened to the rest of the fellowship Boromir, Derw and Afon." "I can only assume they are no longer part of this world." He said this with a sad look in his eyes but was stunned by her laughter, "you would be wrong Boromir is back in Fangorn forest in a grove that lay at its heart were they are currently letting him rest with the Dryads, Derw is currently pregnant with his child and will be giving birth by the next full moon, Afon has gone to seek aid for us among the lost children I she can find the place that still has their magic then she will be able to return and I will awaken the children of the air. However the creature Gollum's fate has yet to be decided and that fate lies with when Boromir awakens so I pray it is soon, for no good will come otherwise." And with that said she launched herself over to a large tree near their camp to rest for the night. Gandalf pondered the ramifications before laughing and going to sleep as well./p 


	10. The Black Gates, Forest Walk

Frodo and Sam have reached the Black Gate. "The Black Gate of Mordor!" "My old Gaffer would have a thing or two to say if he saw this." "Master says show him the way into Mordor, so good Sméagol does, master says so." "I did."

There are orcs patrolling at the Gate. "That's it then. We cannot get past them." An army of Easterling soldiers march to the Black Gate, yelling a call-and-response marching song. "Za dashu snaku Zigur, Durbgu nazgshu, Durbgu dashshu!" (Hail, Sauron, Lord of the Ring, Lord of the Earth!) Gollum is terrified and covers his ears. A command is heard and an orc blows in to a horn. Two trolls pull the gate open up at the top of the great black gates. "Look! The gate, its opening! I can see a way down." Sam moves closer to the edge and leans forward. The rock under him gives way and Sam falls. "Sam! No!" Frodo jumps down after Sam. Gollum asks "Master!" Two Easterling soldiers see streams of dust coming down the cliff, and move away to investigate. Frodo reaches Sam, who is stuck in the scree. The Easterlings move closer. Frodo throws his elvish cloak over himself and Sam. The soldiers stand directly in front of the hobbits. The soldiers leave, and Frodo throws back the cloak and pulls Sam out. "I do not ask you to come with me, Sam." "I know, Mister Frodo. I doubt even these Elvish cloaks will help us in there." They prepare to make a run for the Gate. "Now!" Gollum pulls them back. "No! No! No Master! They'd catch you! They'd catch you. Don't take it to Him. He wants the Precious. Always he's looking for it. And the Precious wants to go back to him. But we mustn't let Him have it." Frodo tries to make a run for it again, but Gollum pulls him back. "No! There is another way, more secret and dark way." "Why haven't you spoke of this before?!" "Because Master did not ask!" "He's up to something." "Are you saying that there is another way to Mordor?" "Yes. There's a path, and some stairs and then a tunnel." Gollum strokes Frodo's arm and buries his face in Frodo's cloak. "He's led us this far Sam." "Mister Frodo, no!" "He's been true to his word." "No!" "Lead the way Sméagol." "Good Sméagol always helps." Sam stares at Frodo in disbelief, Diaval watched from on and then sent a Crebain to inform Maleficent and to find out how he should respond.

Treebeard is carrying the hobbits through the forest. "The trees have grown wild and dangerous. Anger festers in their hearts. Black are their thoughts. Strong is their hate. They will harm you if they can. There are too few of us now, too few of us Ents left to manage them."

Pippin asked curiously "Why are there so few of you when you have lived so long? Are there Ent children?" "Bru-ha-hroom. There have been no Entings for a terrible long count of years." "Why is that?" "We lost the Entwives." "Oh, I'm sorry. How did they die?" "Die, no. We lost them. And now we cannot find them. I don't suppose you've seen Entwives in the Shire?" "Can't say that I have. You Pip?" "What do they look like?" "I don't remember, now." "maybe I can help with that" and stood to the side of the walking Ent as if she was their all along was Derw, "after all the dryads now where they now reside!" and as the three men looked at the dryad that kept walking with them, treebeard asked how and when they had awakened and was brought up to speed by the Hobbits and Derw.


	11. Cast Off Evil Save A Soul

Meanwhile several leagues away, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli approach Edoras. "Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Théoden is now very strong." Èowyn, who is kneeling before Théoden. "My lord, you son, he is dead. My lord? Uncle? Will you not go to him? Will you do nothing?" "Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here."

Èowyn is crying by Théodred's bed, where the dead man lies. Gríma enters the room, like a slivering snake "Oh he, he must have died sometime in the night. What a tragedy for the king to lose his only son and heir." "I understand his passing is hard to accept, especially now that your brother has deserted you." "Leave me alone snake!" "Oh but you are alone!" "Who knows what you have spoken to the darkness. In bitter watches of the night. When all your life seems to shrink. The walls of your bower closing in about you. A hatch to trammel some wild thing." Gríma touches Èowyn's cheek. "So fair, so cold, like a morning pale spring still clinging to winter's chill." "Your words are poison." Èowyn runs out of the hall. She sees Gandalf and the others a flag rips off the pole and floats down, landing near Aragorn. The company approaches the hall. They receive sidelong looks from the villagers. Aragorn sees Èowyn standing at the hall, they receive more suspicious looks. "You'll find more cheer in a graveyard." Guards approach the company as they climb the stairs to the hall, "I cannot allow you before Théoden king so armed, Gandalf Grayhame. By order of… Gríma Wormtongue." With a nod from Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli give their many weapons to the guards and as they looked at maleficent only to see no weapons only as staff which she gave over with any fuss he looked back at Gandalf, "Your staff." "Eh? Oh. No, you would not part an old man from his walking stick?" Háma thinks a moment "I must insist" the look in his eyes left no room for dispute so he handed it over, gives Gandalf a knowing look, then allows him to pass, Gandalf enters the hall, Gríma is at the King's side, "My lord. Gandalf the Grey is coming. He is a herald of woe." "The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King." Guards follow Gandalf and his party, "He is not welcome." "Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" "A just question my liege." Gríma stands up "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Lath spell I name him. Ill news is in ill guest." "Be silent! Keep your forked tongue behind you teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm!" Gandalf raises eye that look maleficent seeing the problem stepped forward and made her way to the small king, "well, well I must say as magic goes this is different" and with a flick of her eyes Gríma was thrown from the kings side and in front of Gimli. Gimli who promptly knocks down Gríma as he tried to stand and puts a foot on his chest, "I would stay still if I were you." Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf fight the guards, allowing Maleficent to walk to Théoden. One of the king's guards moves to draw his sword, but is stopped by Háma. "Théoden, King of Rohan. Too long have you sat in the shadows?" "I release you from the spell." Théoden Laughs and mocks Maleficent, "You have no power here Child of Gandalf the Grey." The King continues laughing. Gandalf throws aside his grey robe, revealing his white clothes. Théoden, startled, leans back in his throne as pure gold magic starts to rip Saruman mind from the kings mind "I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." Having got his staff back from Gandalf points his staff at Théoden, who squirms in his throne. Èowyn rushes in and tries to go to Théoden, but is stopped by Aragorn. "Wait."

Théoden-(Saruman's voice): "If I go — Théoden dies." Gandalf again points at Théoden with his staff as maleficent poured more power in to separating them, and the King flies against his throne. "You did not kill me. You will not kill him." Théoden-(Saruman's voice) "Rohan is mine!" "Be gone!" Théoden jumps up at Gandalf, yelling, but flies back. Saruman fly's backwards in his chamber at Orthanc as golden magic continues its work and binds his tongue so he can't remember Maleficent's interference. Èowyn rushes to Théoden, whose face begins to change, and soon he looks normal again and not a man in his death bed. "I know your face. Èowyn — Èowyn." Turning to Gandalf he says, "Gandalf?" "Breathe the free air again, my friend." "Dark have been my dreams of late." "Your fingers would remember their old strength better — if they grasped your sword." Háma brings the King his sword and Théoden draws it. Théoden examines his sword, and then turns his gaze towards a cowering Gríma.

Gríma is thrown out of the hall, and rolls down the stairs, "Argh! I've only ever served you my lord." "Your leech craft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" "Send me not from your side!" Théoden raises his sword to kill Gríma, but is stopped by Aragorn, "No my lord! No my lord. Let him go." "Enough blood has been spilt on his account." Aragorn holds out his hand to Gríma, Gríma spits on it and runs off through the crowd, "Get out of my way!" "Hail, Théoden, King!" Gríma rides out of Edoras; the crowd kneels before the King. "Where is Théodred? Where is my son?" a he is told of his sons pacing Maleficent asked to see the body of the deceased prince, "show me the boy and he may yet live," at the look the men in the room sent her she cast out her magic and levitated his body to her much to everyone's shock. "We need to get him to Fangorn forest as soon as possible and with that she flew out the room with both prince and king. Much to the uproar of the court and the bemusements of the fellowship. Upon reaching the forest maleficent put the young man's body in a clearing next to the body of another young man it was Boromir still in a deep sleep. As maleficent cast out her magic again to summon Derw and a Villia she got to work on healing his broken body and within the hour he was breathing to the shock of a still dazed king of Rohan, maleficent spoke to him in a kind voice "he will need to rest here for the time being in the care of the Villia and dryads but he will make a complete recovery that is not to say there will not be side effects he will forever have eyes of the deepest leaf green and will always be drawn to the forest I would advise planting some saplings for him to walk in the near future." And with that she took the no longer grieving/ king back to the halls of his kingdom.


	12. Innocent Saved, What Makes A Monster

As they arrived on the horizon, Gandalf turns and sees Èothain and Freda riding a horse, Èothain falls off the horse as a golden magic cushions his fall. Inside the Golden Hall the two children are eating. Èowyn is by their side, "They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the Wildmen are moving through westfold, burning as they go, every rick, cot and tree." The little girl Freda asks "Where's mama?" "Hush." "This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven mad by the fear of Sauron." "Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight." "You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Èomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king." "They will be three hundred leagues from here by now! Èomer cannot help us. I know what is that you want of me. But I would not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war." "Open war is upon you, whether would risk it or not." Théoden walks to Aragorn, "When last I looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan." "Then what is the king's decision?"

People gather outside the Golden Hall, "By order of the King, the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures. Take only what provisions you need." "Helm's Deep! They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?" They enter the stables. "He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past." "There is no way out than that of ravine. Théoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he is leading them to safety, but what he'll get is a massacre. Théoden has a strong hold but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defences have to hold." "They will hold." Gandalf turns to Shadowfax, "The Grey Pilgrim. That is what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men I've walked this earth and now, I have no time." "Good luck. My search will not be in vain, Look to my coming, at first light, on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East." "Go." Shadowfax sprints out of the stable.

In the stables, a horse rears, Two men with ropes try to control him, Aragorn approaches "That horse is half mad, my lord. There's nothing you can do. Leave him." Aragorn speaks to the horse in Rohirric and Elvish. He takes one of the ropes and it stops rearing. One of the men leaves. Aragorn unties it from the bridle. He continues speaking softly and the horse becomes gentle. The other man leaves. "Fæste, stille nú, fæste, stille nú. Lac is drefed, gefrægon." (Fast, quiet now, fast, quiet now. A battle is stirred up, they heard.) "Hwæt nemnað ðe?" (What is your name?) "His name is Brego. He is my cousin's horse." "Brego? Ðin nama is cynglic." (Brego? Your name is kingly.) "Man le trasta, Brego?" (What troubles you, Brego?) "Man cenich?" (What did you see?) "I've heard of the magic of Elves, but I did not look for it in a Ranger from the North. You speak as one of their own." "I was raised in Rivendell, for a time." "Turn this fellow free. He has seen enough of war."

Gríma rides up to Isengard. Inside Orthanc, Saruman listens, "Gandalf the White. Gandalf the fool! Does he seek to humble me with his newfound piety?" "There were four who followed the wizard. An Elf, a Dwarf and a Man and a creature I have never seen before with magic as golden as sun light." Saruman sniffs the air as Gríma "You stink of horse. The man, was he from Gondor?" Gríma thinking it weird that he would focus on the man not the winged women, but too scared to say anything continued, "No, from the North. One of the Dúnedain Rangers I thought he was. His cloth was spoor, and yet he bore a strange ring two serpents with emerald eyes. One devouring, the other crowned with golden flowers." Latter flipping through a book to an illustration of this ring. "The Ring of Barahir. So Gandalf Greyhame thinks he's found Isildur's heir, the lost King of Gondor. He is a fool. The line was broken years ago." He snaps the book shut. "It matters not. The world of Men shall fall. It will begin at Edoras."

Refugees begin streaming out of Edoras. Inside Théoden's chamber, the king prepares to leave. "I am ready, Gamling. Bring my horse." Gamling turns to leave, but is stopped by Théoden. "This is not a defeat. We will return." Gamling leaves, leaving the king to himself, "We will return."

Inside the hall, Èowyn opens a chest and takes out a sword. She practices with it and swings around. Aragorn blocks her swing. "You have some skill with a blade." Èowyn frees her sword from Aragorn's. Aragorn lowers his blade in respect. "Women of this country learned long ago that those without swords may still die upon them." "I fear neither death nor pain." "What do you fear my lady?" "A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valour has gone beyond recall or desire." "You are a daughter of kings. A shield maiden of Rohan. I do not think that will be your fate." A short time later the people of Rohan are heading towards Helm's Deep. Théoden turns and takes one last look at Edoras.

At Isengard, Gríma talks with Saruman. "Théoden will not stay at Edoras. It is vulnerable, he knows this. He will expect an attack on the city. They will flee to Helm's Deep, the great fortress of Rohan. It is a dangerous road, take through the mountains. It will be slow. They will have women and children with them." Saruman walks through the depths of Isengard. "Send out your Warg riders." An Orc captain smiles menacingly. Shadows from wild beasts are shown behind him.

Frodo, Sam and Gollum walk along a stream. Gollum tries to catch a fish, "Hey stinker! Don't go getting too far ahead!" Frodo asks perplexed "Why do you do that?" "What?" "Call him names? Run him down all the time." "Because. Because that's what he is Mister Frodo. There's naught left in him but lies and deceit. It's the Ring he wants. It's all he cares about." "You have no idea what it did to him. What is still doing to him? I want to help him Sam." "Why?" "Because I have to believe he can come back." "You cannot save him, Mister Frodo." Frodo angrily yells "What do you know about it? Nothing!" Sam walks away from Frodo, "I'm sorry Sam. I don't know why I said that." "I do. It's the Ring. You can't take your eyes off it. I've seen you. You're not eating. You barely sleep. It's taking a hold of you Mister Frodo. You have to fight it." "I know what I must to do Sam. The Ring was entrusted to me. It's my task! Mine! My own!" "Can't you hear yourself? Don't you know who you sound like?"


	13. The Flip Of The Coin

(This next section has names before each spoken sentence because I read it without names and even I was confused and I had to write it out.)

* * *

Its night, and Frodo and Sam are sleeping. Gollum is awake. The Ring is in Frodo's fist. Gollum - "We wants it, we needs it. Must have the Precious." Gollum - "They stole it from us. Sneaky little Hobbitses. Wicked, tricksy, false!" Sméagol - "No! No! Master!" Gollum - "Yes. Precious first. They will cheat you, hurt you, and lie!" Sméagol - "Master's my friend." Gollum - "You don't have any friends. Nobody likes you." He covers his ears, Sméagol - "Not listening. Not listening." Gollum - "You're a liar, and a thief." Sméagol - "No." Gollum - "Murderer!" Sméagol - "Go away." He starts to weep. Gollum - "Go away?!" (Laughs.) Sméagol - "I hate you, I hate you!" Gollum - "Where would you be without me? (Gollum Gollum). I saved us. It was me. We survived because of me!" Sméagol - "Not anymore." Gollum - "What did you say?" Sméagol - "Master looks after us now. We don't need you." Gollum - "What?" Sméagol - "Leave now and never come back." Gollum - "No!" Sméagol - "Leave now and never come back!" Gollum - "Argh!" Sméagol (emphatically) - "Leave now and never come back!" Sméagol is panting and looking around and realizes Gollum is gone. Sméagol - "We told him to go away! And away he goes precious. Gone, gone, gone, Sméagol is free!" and to celebrate his new found freedom he jumps up and down in a show of great joy. Diaval having watched this kept his eyes ever vigilant on the small creature for it did not do to be unprepared when dealing with insane people.

The next day, Sméagol comes back with two dead rabbits and drops them on Frodo's lap. "Look! Look! See what Sméagol finds!" (Laughs.) Sméagol picks up one of the rabbits and breaks its spine in front of Frodo, "They are young! They are tender and nice. Yes they are! Eat them. Eat them." Sméagol bites the rabbit but then Sam snatched the rabbits away from Frodo and looks at Sméagol. "Make him sick you will, behaving like that. There's only one way to eat a brace of coneys."

Sam cooks the rabbits in a pot. Sméagol watches despondently, "Argh! What's he doing! Stupid fat hobbit. You ruins it!" "What's to ruin? There's hardly any meat on them." Sméagol moans. As a faint sound catches Frodo's attention, "What we need is a few good taters." "What's tater? Precious, what's tater? Huh?" "Po-ta-toes! Boil them, mash them, and stick them in a stew. Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish, even you couldn't say no to that." "Oh yes we could! Spoiling nice fish!" He crawls to Sam, "Give it to us raw — and wriggling! You keep nasty chips!" "You're hopeless." Frodo follows the source of the sound, "Mister Frodo?" Frodo lies down and sees an army of the Easterlings marching. Sam and Sméagol find him, "Who are they?" "Wicked men; servants of Sauron. They are called to Mordor. The Dark One is gathering all armies to him. It won't be long now. It will soon be ready." "Ready to do what?" "To make His war. The last war that will cover the entire world in shadow." "We've got to keep moving. C'mon Sam." Frodo starts to get up, but Sam stops him. Large beasts appear, "Mister Frodo! Look! It's an Oliphant! No one at home will believe this." The calling sound is heard again and Sméagol backs away, "Sméagol?" The Easterlings are attacked from the bushes. A man shoots an Easterling off of an Oliphant. The body falls near the hobbits. "We've lingered here for too long. C'mon Sam!" The hobbits depart, but are caught by the humans, "Ah! Wait! We're innocent travellers!" "There are no travellers in this land, only servants of the Dark Tower." Frodo responded, "We are bound to an errand of secrecy. Those that claim to oppose the enemy would do well not to hinder us." "The enemy?" Faramir turns over the dead Southron. "His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem. You wonder what his name is, where he came from, and if he was really evil at heart. What lies or threats led him on this long march from home? If he would not rather have stayed there in peace." "War will make corpses of us all. Bind their hands."


	14. Aragons Fall And Age

The villagers head towards Helm's Deep, as Gimli and Èowyn discusses the dwarves "It's true you don't see many dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance; they are often mistaken for dwarf men." Èowyn glances back at Aragorn who, say making a gestured of a beard with his hands, "It's the beards." "And this in turn has given rise to the belief that there are no dwarf women. And the dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!" Èowyn and Gimli laughs at the notion, "Which is of course ridiculous. Whoa!" Gimli falls from his horse, "It's all right! It's all right. Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was deliberate." "I have not seen my niece smile in a long time. She was a girl when they brought her father back dead. Cut down by Orcs. She watched her mother succumb to grief. And she was left alone to tend her king in growing fear. Doomed to wait upon an old man who should have loved her as a father." Aragorn and Èowyn look at each other. Maleficent who had just received a new message from Diaval was playing with the children her magic had saved from on far.

That evening the refugees have camped in a great hilly field (imagine around unpopulated parts of whales and Scotland like the highlands and moors.), Èowyn carries a pot of stew and offers it to Gimli who had been warned by Maleficent to if offered to not eat it; her exact words where "never have I craved a swift death then when I eat that foul broth it was like having slugs go over my tongue," "Gimli?" "No, I couldn't. I really couldn't." and the dwarf nearly ran from her as she approaches Aragorn, "I made some stew. It isn't much, but it's hot." She gives him a bowl and spoon, "Thank you." He tastes and looks up at her, trying not to grimace. He nods, "Mmm. It's good." "Really?" "Mmm" Èowyn begins to walk away. Aragorn turns to pour out the stew, but Èowyn turns around. He recovers, spilling some on his hand. "My Uncle told me a strange thing. He said that you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken." "King Théoden has a good memory. He was only a small child at the time." "Then you must be at least sixty. (Aragon shakes his head in the negative) Seventy? (Again a shake.) But you cannot be eighty!" and as if carrying a great burden he tells her his age, "Eighty-seven." At this she stands realizing, "You are one of the Dúnedain. A descendant of Númenor, blessed with long life. It was said that your race had passed into legend." "There are few of us left. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed long ago." At this answer and bringing up "I'm sorry. Please eat!"

It is night. Aragorn smokes his pipe and swiftly falls asleep, "The light of the Evenstar does not wax and wane. It is mine to give to whom I will. Like my heart. Go to sleep." Aragorn is dreaming of his time with Arwen in Rivendell just before the council meeting, "I am asleep. This is a dream." "Then it is a good dream. Sleep." She leans down to kiss Aragorn, "Sleep." "Minlû pedich nin, i aur hen telitha." (You told me once, this day would come.) "Si peliannen i vâd na dail lîn. Si boe ú-dhannathach." (It is already laid before your feet, you cannot falter now.) "Arwen." "Ae ú-esteliach nad… estelio han. Estelio ammen." (If you trust nothing else… trust this. Trust us.) They kiss.

The group is trekking again. "Where is she? The woman who gave you that jewel?" Aragorn smiles but remains silent as he remembers their travels with Arwen and the fellowship. "My lord?" "She is Back at Rivendell, she was part of the fellowship but it was deemed unsafe for her to continued her assistance." And with that they started walking in silence again as three pairs of friendly eyes all seemed to smirk at them (Maleficent, Legolas and Gimli).

Háma and Gamling ride to the front of the column. Legolas stands a small distance away, scanning the surroundings. "What is it? Háma?" Their horses are restless, "I'm not sure." A warg scout appears above them and charges towards them. The warg attacks Háma, killing him. Gamling fights with the scout. Legolas shoots the warg with his bow. Legolas kills the scout, but not before he yells out. "A scout!" "What is it? What do you see?" "Wargs! We are under attack!" The villagers panic at the names mention. The king says to his men "All riders to the head of the column!" "C'mon get me up here, I'm a fighter. Argh!" Legolas spots the warg pack running towards them. "You must lead the people to Helm's Deep and make haste." The king says to his niece, to which Èowyn responds in a biting ton "I can fight!" "No! You must do this — for me." As he then turs back to his men and cry's "Follow me! Argh!" Gimli rides forward shouting "Forward, forward, march forward." She quickly puts her personal feelings on the matte go and becomes a proper leader "Make for the lower ground. Stick together!" Aragorn and Èowyn exchange looks. Aragorn sets off to battle. Legolas stands alone, shooting at the wargs and their riders. The column of riders appears behind him. When Gimli's horse is near, Legolas swings himself up on the horse's back. Wargs and Rohirrim run towards each other, swords drawn. The warg riders and the Rohirrim crash at full speed, they fight. Many wargs and their riders are killed. Gimli falls of the horse and a riderless warg heads towards him. "Bring your pretty face to my axe!" Legolas shoots the warg as it attacks, before Gimli has the chance to kill it himself. "Argh! That one counts as mine!" A dead warg lands on Gimli. "Argh! Stinking creature. Argh!" A rider appears over the dead warg. Gimli snaps the Orc's neck. Gimli tries to lift the creatures, but another warg crawls into view, growling. Aragorn throws a spear at the warg, killing it. The dead warg lands on Gimli much to his annoyance. Théoden and Aragorn kill wargs and riders. A warg jumps on Aragorn, who falls of his horse. He jumps on to a warg and fights with its rider. Aragorn is hit by the orc and falls to the side. His hand is caught in the harness of the warg, and he gets dragged along. He fights with the orc, throwing him off. The warg runs off a cliff, Aragorn falling with it. As the fighting dissipates, Legolas and Gimli look for Aragorn. "Aragorn!" "Aragorn?" Gimli spots a dying orc on the ground, laughing. He bends down and points his axe at it, "Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing!" "He's… (Cough)… dead. (Laughs). He took a little tumble off the cliff." Legolas grabs the orc, "You lie!" as the flap of heavy wings can be heard, and Legolas looks up to the cliffs edge to Maleficents eyes as she says turning to looking at the water "find him" and from the cliffs edge maleficent was casting golden magic in the direction the river flowed, The orc laughs, blood bubbling in his mouth. He falls back dead. Legolas stands up but sees the Evenstar in the orc's hand he takes the small star and puts it away for safe keeping. Legolas and Gimli approach the cliff by maleficent and look down into the river below. Théoden approaches behind them. "Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead." At this Legolas looks shocked at Théoden who looking at Legolas says "Come." Maleficent having walked to Legolas takes the side of Legolas's face in her hand says for their ears only "Fear not Legolas this river runs with the power of our friends!" and with that she followed the king as Legolas face changed from woe to joy. Gimli catching on and looking once more at the river and sees a glow that moves fast through the waters till it is out of sight.


	15. Helm's Deep

The women and children approach Helm's Deep the villagers pick up their pace and stat saying its name like it is salvation, "Helm's Deep!" The women and children enter Helm's Deep. "Mama!" The children that Maleficent's magic had hidden find their mother and run to her arms, "Freda! Freda!" Èowyn surveys the food, "Where is the rest?" "This is all we could save, my lady." "Take it to the caves."

The riders return to Helm's Deep, "Make way for the king! Make way for Théoden. Make way for the King!" Èowyn hurries to meet them, "So few. So few of you have returned." "Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives." Gimli walks to Èowyn, "My lady…" "Lord Aragorn, where is he?" Gimli says with great remorse, "He fell…" Èowyn is shocked and looks at Théoden in disbelief who nods his head before turning back to his men. "Draw all our forces behind the wall. Bar the gate, and set a watch on the surround." "What of those who cannot fight my lord? The women and children?" "Get them into the caves. Saruman's arm would have grown long indeed if he thinks he can reach us here."

"Helm's Deep has but one weakness. Its outer wall is solid rock for except for a small culvert in space, which is little more than a drain." Saruman pours explosives into a metallic ball. "How? How can fire undo stone? What kind of device can break down a wall?" Gríma moves a candle close to the ball, but it stopped by Saruman. "If the wall is breached, Helm's Deep will fall." "Even if it is breached, it would take a number beyond reckoning — thousands — to storm the keep." "Tens of thousands." "But my lord there is no such force." They walk to the balcony of the tower Orthanc and Gríma looks in awe at the sheer number of Uruk-hai warriors. A horn sounds and the army cheers. "A new power is rising. Its victory is at hand." The warriors cheer. "This night, the land will be stained with the blood of Rohan! March to Helm's Deep! Leave none alive! To war! There will be no dawn for Men."

Merry and Pippin and Treebeard are moving past Isengard. "Look! There's smoke to the south!" "There is always smoke rising up from Isengard these days." "Isengard?" "There was a time, when Saruman would walk in my woods, but now, he has a mind of metal and wheels." The hobbits climb higher to get a view of Isengard. "He no longer cares for growing things." The hobbits spot the Uruk army. "What is it?" "It's Saruman's army! The war has started.

Meanwhile far away Elrond and Galadriel are having a very one side conversation on the fate of the elves and if they too should re-join the world and its fight, "I Amar prestar aen. Han mathon ne nen, han mathon ne chae a han noston ned wilith." (The world is changed. I can feel it in the water, I can feel it in the earth, and I can smell it in the air.) The power of the enemy is growing. Sauron will use his puppet Saruman to destroy the people of Rohan. Isengard has been unleashed. The Eye of Sauron now turns to Gondor. The last free kingdom of men." The of the Eye of Sauron watches Gondor as he feels the ring enter that real at the same time Frodo and Sam are lead to Henneth Annûn. "His war on this country will come swiftly. He senses the Ring is close. The strength of the Ring bearer is failing. In his heart, Frodo begins to understand. The quest will claim his life. You know this Elrond. You have foreseen it. It is the risk we all took. In the gathering dark, the will of the Ring grows strong. It works hard now to find its way back into the hands of men. Men, who are so easily seduced by its power" The One Ring flies through the air and its destiny becomes uncertain. "The young captain of Gondor has but to extend his hand to take the Ring for his own and the world will fall. He is close now, so close to achieving his goal. For Sauron will have dominion over all life on this Earth, even until the ending of the world. The time of the elves is over. Do we leave Middle-Earth to this fate? Do we let them stand alone or do we re-join this world as the Fae has said we should?"


	16. Faramir's Worth

At Henneth Annûn, Faramir and one of his rangers look over a map, "What news?" "Our scouts report Saruman has attacked Rohan. Théoden's people have fled to Helm's Deep. But we must look to our own borders. Faramir, orcs are on the move. Sauron is marshalling an army. Easterlings and Southrons are passing through the Black Gate." "How many?" "Some thousands. More come every day." "Who's covering the river to the north?" "We pulled five hundred men out of Osgiliath, but if the city is attacked, we won't hold it." "Saruman attacks from Isengard. Sauron from Mordor. The fight will come to men on both fronts. Gondor is weak. Sauron will strike us soon. And he will strike hard. He knows now we do not have the strength to repel him." The two hobbits' hoods are removed, Faramir approaches them, "My men tell me that you are orc spies." "Spies! Now wait just a minute." "Well if you're not spies, then who are you?" The hobbits remain silent and Faramir sits down. "Speak!" "We are hobbits of the Shire. Frodo Baggins is my name and this is Samwise Gamgee." "Your bodyguard?" "His gardener." "And where is your skulking friend? That gangrel creature. He had an ill-favoured look." "There was no other." "We set out from Rivendell with eleven companions. One we lost in Moria. Two were my kin. A dwarf there was also. And two elves. And two men. Aragorn, son of Arathorn and Boromir of Gondor there was also Derw the Lady of Old wood from the dryad's race and Afon the lady of the lake from on far from the lonely mountain of the Villia. The last two are not to be spoken of under order by lord Elrond that is till they meet you that is" at the list of people Faramir became curios of his brothers whereabouts again and the last two people "As one of his companions, I had hoped you would tell me how he is." "If something has happened to Boromir, we would have let you know but we were separated in an attack if you know something please let use know." "His horn washed up upon the riverbank, about six days past. It was cloven in two. But more than this, I know it in my heart. He was my brother and something is amiss,"

Memory

Faramir, on a riverbank, turns to see a boat approaching. He wades into the river. It is filled with water and lying inside is Boromir's horn. The boat continues past Faramir. Back in the caves of Henneth Annûn, Faramir sits alone holding Boromir's horn.

Flashback Different memory

This time to a crowd at Osgiliath, facing Boromir. Boromir is waving the white flag of the Stewards. Boromir stands upon a high wall in Osgiliath. He lifts his sword and addresses a crowd of Gondorian soldiers below. "This city was once the jewel of our kingdom. A place of light, and beauty, and music. And so it shall be once more!" Boromir starts his speech "Let the armies of Mordor know this: Never again will the lands of my people fall into enemy hands." More cheering. "The city of Osgiliath has been reclaimed. For Gondor!" the crowd shouts back "For Gondor!" Back on the streets, Faramir and Boromir meet and embrace. "Good speech. Nice and short." "Leaves more time for drinking! Break out the ale! These men are thirsty!" turning to his brother and smiling "Remember today, little brother. Today, life is good." Faramir looks past Boromir and stops smiling. "What?" "He is here." "One moment of peace. Can he not give us that?" "Where is he? Where is Gondor's finest? Where is my first-born?" "Father!" Boromir and Denethor embrace. "They say you vanquished the enemy almost single-handedly." Boromir seeing where this will lead tries to lead it away poorly though the attempt is "They exaggerate. The victory belongs to Faramir also." "But for Faramir, this city would still be standing. Were you not entrusted to protect it?" "I would have done, but our numbers were too few." "Oh, too few. You let the enemy walk in and take it on a whim. Always you cast a poor reflection on me." At this Faramir cases his eyes away in shame "That is not my intent." "You give him no credit and yet he tries to do your will." Boromir withdraws to an alcove. Denethor follows. "He loves you, Father." "Do not trouble me with Faramir. I know his uses, and they are few. We have more urgent things to speak of. Elrond of Rivendell has called a meeting. He will not say why, but I have guessed its purpose. It is rumoured that the weapon of the enemy has been found." At this Boromir looks this father "The One Ring. Isildur's Bane." "It has fallen into the hands of the Elves. Everyone will try to claim it: Men, Dwarves, wizards. We cannot let that happen. This thing must come to Gondor." "Gondor." "It's dangerous, I know. Ever the Ring will seek to corrupt the hearts of lesser men. But you, you are strong and our need is great. It is our blood which is being spilled, our people who are dying. Sauron is biding his time. He's massing fresh armies. He will return. And when he does, we will be powerless to stop him. You must go. Bring me back this mighty gift." "No. My place is here with my people. Not in Rivendell." "Would you deny your own father?" "If there is need to go to Rivendell, send me in his stead." "You? Oh, I see. A chance for Faramir, captain of Gondor, to show his quality. I think not. I trust this mission only to your brother. The one who will not fail me." Boromir sits his horse and looks up at the flag of the Stewards. Boromir and Faramir look at each other. "Remember today, little brother." Boromir rides away.

As Faramir sat there a raven flew and stood in front of him, and before his eyes changed into a man. "hello Faramir, my name is Diaval I'm one of the two young mister Frodo was talking about, my mistress bid you hello and would like to inform you that your brother was wounded on our journey and is currently recovering from several arrow wounds." At this Faramir looks up in shock, "do not fear for his life he is in the care of the dryads and Villia and will soon be able to return to you, however you must not attract the creature that is with the hobbits for no good will come of it, one of my mistress birds will be sent to you with a message if anything changes with your brother, I will say this though he has gotten involved with a lady of the dryad court and as such has been wed to her in their sense of marriage he is soon to be the father of a child of the forest." And with that said he turned back into a raven and flew away to watch over Gollum. Leaving the young captain of Gondor to his thoughts.

Meanwhile Aragorn rides on Brego he sees the army of Saruman on the march so increases his speed, Aragorn makes his way to Helm's Deep. "Mae carnen, Brego, mellon nîn." (Well done, Brego, my friend.) He rides up to the fortress and in to the courtyard as he hears Gimli coming at him, "Where is he?! Where is he! Get out of my way! I'm gonna kill him! You are the luckiest, the cunningest, and most reckless man I ever knew!" Gimli embraces Aragorn. "Bless you, laddie!" "Gimli, where is the king?" as he is led by Gimli, Aragorn runs into Legolas, "Le abdollen." (You're late.) he then taking in Aragon's Appearance saying "You look terrible." Aragorn laughs and puts his hand on Legolas shoulder. Èowyn sees them. Legolas gives Aragorn Arwen's Evenstar to which he thanks him "Hannon le." (Thank you.) Théoden is sitting inside, and Aragorn pushes the doors open and enters and tells them what he has seen "A great host, you say?" "All Isengard is emptied."

"How many?" "Ten thousand strong at least." Théoden turns to face Aragorn in shocked surprise, "Ten thousand?!" "It is an army bred for a single purpose: to destroy the world of Men. They will be here by nightfall." "Let them come." Théoden walks outside, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli following him, "I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms, to be ready for battle by nightfall, we will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping wall or set foot inside the Hornburg." When he said strong lad maleficent stare turned cold "This is no rabble of mindless orcs. These are Uruk-hai. Their armour is thick and their shields broad." "I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep." They continue walking, "They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn, we've seen it before. Crops can be resewn. Homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them." "They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people. Down to the last child!" "What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance!" looking imploringly at the king Aragon states, "Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid." "And who will come. Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead." He says as he casts his eyes on the companions he can see, "Gondor will answer." "Gondor? Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us!? Where was Gon — No, my Lord Aragorn, we are alone." Théoden walks from Aragorn to speak to Gamlar, maleficent then moves out of the shadows to stand by her companions and looks at the human king with a sense of purpose was in her eyes as she turned and left three very scared men in her wake as the look in her eyes spoke of pain and anger at what was to be done and she made her way down as she hear the king and his men as she passed, "Get the women and children into the caves." "We need more time to lay provisions for a siege, lord —" "There is no time. War is upon us!" "Secure the gate."


	17. Oath Kept (Spark Of Rage)

Merry and Pippin are riding Treebeard, "The Ents have not troubled about the wars of men and wizards for a very long time but now something is about to happen that has not happened for an age" and with a dramatic pause he said "Entmoot." "What's that?" "It is a gathering." "A gathering of what?" And as he said this Ent's come from the forest and surround them as Treebeard says their names as he sees them, "Beech, Oak, Chestnut, and Ash. Good, good, good many have come. Now we must decide if the Ents will go to war." Merry grins at this declaration.

People scurry around Helm's Deep, Rohan's man shout to the common people "Come on people! Quickly, now!" "We'll place the reserves along the wall. They can support the archers from above the gate." "Aragorn, you must rest. You're no use to us half-alive." Èowyn calls out to Aragorn, "Aragorn! I'm to be sent with the women into the caves." "That is an honourable charge." "To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return. What renown is there in that?" "My lady, a time may come for valour without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defence?" "Let me stand at your side." "It is not in my power to command it." Aragorn begins to walk away, "You do not command the others to stay! They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you. Because they love you." "I'm sorry." Èowyn walks away, Inside Helm's Deep, people wander in to the caves, Husbands and sons are taken away from their wives and mothers. In the armoury, weapons are handed out to the villagers. "Farmers, farriers, stable boys." "These are no soldiers." Aragon says looking at the men and children unaware of the pair of golden eyes that look out from the darkness with a growing rage in them, "Most have seen too many winters! Or too few. Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." He looks at Aragorn as the room turns silent, "Boe a hyn neled herain… dan caer menig!" (And they should be. Three hundred… against ten thousand!) "Si beriathar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras." (They have a better chance defending themselves here than in Edoras.) "Aragorn, men i ndagor. Hýn ú ortheri. Natha daged aen!" (They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!) "Then I shall die as one them!" Aragorn and Legolas stare at each other, and Aragorn walks away from the elf as the men and children look on in fear, Legolas tries to run after him, but is stopped by Gimli, "Let him go, lad. Let him be." As Aragon runs of he is unceremoniously tripped up by Maleficent who looks down at him with an enraged look that could make any man shiver in fear, "I know not what that was but I know what was said and would say this, you are behaving like children and are scaring the small once and it was not the corrected Couse to take, no child should see such darkness and fear and I will be having word with Legolas and Gimli as well as the king bout this but you should know better then, them how it feels to be mortal and afraid for your life was that any way to speak to encourage them, (he looked up from the floor where his eyes had slowly descended about to speak but was cut off by her) do not speak I'm not done with you I don't care if people die, death is a part of the circle of life I do care I that life fines its end in fear and suffering I'm a Fae Aragon we heal we create we do no Couse suffering if we kill we do so with the least amount of suffering possible (unless incredibly angered e.g. how she wanted to kill Stefan) we see life for what it is we don't stand back and do nothing if I ever hear what I hear come from your mouth in front of children you will wish for sauron as your enemy for there is now force on earth that will stop me from punishing you." And with that she turned and walked in the direction of Legolas and Gimli.

In the king's chambers Théoden is given his armour by Gamling, "Every villager able to wield a sword has been sent to the armoury. My lord?" "Who am I, Gamling?" "You are our king, sire." "And do you trust your king?" "Your men, my lord, will follow you to whatever end." Gamling helps the King in to his armour. "To whatever end. Where are the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?" The villagers receive their weapons; a helmet is placed on the head of a scared boy, while another child looks at the axe in his hand. "They have passed like rain on the mountains. Like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the west. Behind the hills, into shadow. How did it come to this?" as the king spoke he was interrupted in his speech by a knock on the door as maleficent entered his chambers and started by kicking out all save the king as she laid into him why she had to look after the children and spoke of her plan for the defence of the women and children and for the young he was sending top war and after an hour in his chambers.

At the Entmoot, Pippin awakes, "It's been going for hours." "They must have decided something by now." "Decided? No, we've only just finished saying good morning." "But it's night-time already! You can't take forever." "Don't be hasty." "We're running out of time!"

Aragorn is sitting alone on stairs, he sees maleficent observing a child and he appears pained as if she wants to help him Aragon realizing the problem that she knows nothing about proper swordsmanship and after casting her a look that carries his shame from their earlier convocation goes to the confused looking child with a sword, "Give me your sword, (the boy looks up and the sacredly passes the sword to him) what is your name?" the boy looks at him in awe and responds after a moment "Háleth, son of Háma, my lord. (Aragon nods and looks at the sword and at the young teen no more than sixteen and glances at maleficent and then back to the child as he spoke again) The men are saying that we will not live out the night. They say that it is hopeless." Aragorn stands up and swings the sword, "This is a good sword, Háleth, son of Háma." He lays his hand on the boys shoulder, "There is always hope," and casts his eyes back to maleficent, "do you see the lady over there with the wings I'd like you to stay with her during the battle and any others your age are to stay close to her she will make saw you are safe, I will speak to the king about it, do not fear you and the others will be safe." As the child looked over his shoulder he nearly fell over his self to run to her, and maleficent gave an amused look as she went to prepare with her new little helper and with one glance to Aragon she was gone and heading for the king as she handed Háleth a small pouch "we will be filling that before the battle but first we will be seeing the king."

Inside, Aragorn puts on his armour, Legolas hands him his sword, and "We have trusted you this far and you have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair." Aragorn smiles at the elf, Ú-moe edamed, Legolas." (There is nothing to forgive, Legolas.) They look at each other and smile. Gimli enters the room, wearing armour that is far too long for him. "If we had time, I'd get this adjusted." The armour falls to the ground, "It's a little tight across the chest." Legolas and Aragorn smile at the dwarf. The sound of a horn is heard from outside, Legolas recognises the horns sound, "That is no orc horn!" They rush out. Men peer over the wall, "Send for the king. Open the gate!" The gates are opened, and an army of elves march in. Men stare in awe. Théoden walks down the stairs and meets the Elf Captain, "How is this possible?" "I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together." Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli rush down the stairs. "We come to honour that allegiance." "Mae govannen, Haldir!" (Welcome, Haldir!) Aragorn stands before the elf and then hugs him. Haldir, a little surprised, returns the gesture. "You are most welcome." Legolas comes down the stairs and embraces Haldir. The army of elves turn and lower their bows and shields in unison. "We are proud to fight alongside men, once more."


	18. The Sylphs, Sky Children

After seeing the king Maleficent and Háleth were heading for the gate and the fields a few miles to the north as she looked at the field she smiles it was full of wild flowers and all sorts of plants untouched and pristine in its own way she cast her eyes at the child and said "we will need to fill that pouch with the seeds of as many plants as possible before the sun reaches its highest point we do not have long," and with that they set to work and soon filled the small pouch and where on their way back to the fortress and just as they made it she stopped quarter of a mile out from the gates and had the stop and she took a hand full of the seeds and scattered them to the left and the glowed a brilliant gold and took root and the she took the remainder and cast it in the other direction and the same happened as the child looked closer he saw that the seeds soon turned into small black flowers and the started growing into a giant wall of thorns he looked back at her and the at the wall that was growing it soon was as high as the walls of the fortress and had to be six times as thick and they appeared to be moving like a large serpent and the it all stopped as he cast his eyes back to the citadel and the hordes of people looking at her work as she put her hand on his shoulder, "not all things as you humans belief are as motionless as we think and my people long since learned how to speak to all things in this world and my own and you would be surprised just how much a flower hates to be picked or a tree cut down without asking first, know I'm just channelling all the negative emotions that all plants have for the orcs in to those seeds and this is the result a wall of thorns that will defend and kill as many of the orcs as possible it will last till the end of the battle and as long as it is needed and then the flowers will start to come back through and a new meadow will be in its place, know come we have young once to protect and that sword of yours could do with some magic of its own I'm thinking that it should purify instead of killing know come along we have work to do." And with that she carried him over the wall of thorns and to the gates of the keep where she saw the elves from her time in the forests of Lórien and smiled as the elves bow to her as she walked over to their captain, "hello again Haldir it has been a long time since we last met I see that your people will be joining the battle I fine that to be most interesting." And with that she walked over to stand next to Legolas and the rest of the fellowship. She then started by looking at all the elves and then took flight so that the last of the sun's rays where cast on to her wings that glowed in the dying light and she began to hum to the sun and the sky and the elves all joined the melody as if compelled to do so and the air in the deep for the first time in century's began to stir and as the she landed back by the now humming elves as she opened her mouth and began to sing and all the humans stood stock still as they all sang together.

(I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream

I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam

And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem

But if I know you, I know what you'll do

You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream)

As they sang the very sky began to change colour and it soon looked as if a rain bow was covering the heavens and the as she kept singing she reached out to Háleth with one hand and Legolas with the other and the song kept on going and as if out of nowhere a whirlwind began to form in the court yard and a singing like the voice of the breeze came from it and grew louder and clearer it was as if the word the sky and the waters of the river where all singing with the elves and Fae and soon Aragon who had heard her sing this song many months ago was singing with them.

(But if I know you, I know what you'll do

You'll love me at once

The way you did once upon a dream)

As the gathering grew women and children left the cave to hear the music and join the song and the more they sang the more the world sang back and then in the whirlwind came a elegant young woman with hair of silver rain and eyes of the sky and skin of the whitest cloud and she looked at the gathering and joined the song so old that the sky shook with its power and all the winds of the world seemed to breeze through the deeps halls and before the assembly of humans, elves and a dwarf many came from the sky like the floating snow in a calm winters day it was the most beautiful thing that the humans had ever heard and the choirs grew stronger as more of the sky's children came to sing as they woke from their sleep so long,

(I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream

I know you, that gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam

And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem

But if I know you, I know what you'll do

You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream)

As the graceful figures flow from place to place as if looking for something they came upon the elves and all took their hands and started to dance a long forgotten dance and the world and her elements where all once more in balance for the first time in three ages of the earth it was the age of love again it was an age of harmony and as the world shook with delight as it cast of the shadows of grief as her children all sang as one.

As the sky children all left soon after to watch the winds and wings of the world some stayed and pledged their help as well in the fight to come. And if maleficent did not know any better a curtain elf prince was blushing as the sylph that came through first had not let go of his hand and was leading him away from his friends and to a more seclude chamber where they would not be disturbed.

Not Unknown to Maleficent a certain Villia had gone and carried a bemused Dwarf in her arms to a small cave where stone met the waters edge.


	19. Battle Of The Deep

The next day as the sun set, word comes that the enemy would be on the horizon and be at the walls by night fall. men and elves stand at Helm's Deep and get into position in a uncoordinated assembly of farmers in armour and trained men who had seen to many winters or too few and children that all stood near Maleficent and a group of Sylphs and a lone Villia. Saruman's army slowly approaches shouting and rumbling. Legolas and Gimli stand at the wall, Gimli has some trouble seeing over the wall as the fortress was constructed for humans. "Argh. You could have picked a better spot." Aragorn comes to them, "Well lad, the luck you live by, let's hope it lasts the night." There is lightning and a rumble of thunder, "Your friends are with you, Aragorn." "Let's hope they last the night." Legolas says with foreboding. Théoden and his men watch on as it starts to rain, the troops of Saruman walk forward, carrying torches and long spears. The women and children sit silently in the caves, listening as the fires burn around them.

Aragorn walks back and forth on the wall, "A Eruchîn, ú-dano i faelas a hyn an uben tanatha le faelas!" (Show them no mercy! For you shall receive none!) The Uruk-hai stop. Aragorn walks forward and looks down at the huge army, "What's happening out there?" as Gimli says this he jumps to see over the wall, "Shall I describe it to you? Or would you like me to find you a box?" once Gimli let this sink in to his head all he could do was laugh at the elves hummer, The Uruks pound their spears and roar. The men and elves in the fortress ready their weapons and are told to hold fire, an old man accidentally shoots an arrow, hitting an orc and everything goes silent, as the orc falls down dead, "Dartho!" (Hold!). The Uruks roar in anger and charge. As the Uruks march forward Théoden looks out at the sea of thorns that stand in their way "So it begins." As the army below runs forward, the elves prepare to shoot their arrows, "Faeg i-varv dîn na lanc a nu ranc." (Their armor is weak at the neck and under the arms.) "Leithio i philinn!" (Fire!) The bows are released and the Uruks showered with arrows, "Anybody hit anything?" gimli asks Legolas as he rearms and aragon shouts to rearm again, "Give them a volley." More arrows are shot, "Tangado a chadad!" (Keep firing!) "Come on! Send them to me!" Many Uruks fall dead. The Uruks shoot arrows back, A dieing elf falls from the wall and into the riving hoard of thorns and into a glowing stream. The Uruks put up ladders to try to cross the sea of thorns and make their way to the fortress only for the thorns to break the ladders and throw them back. The Uruk-hai climb the ladders still till some finally get passed the thorns and reach the waiting Gimli and Legolas Heavy fighting follows. "Legolas, two already!" "I'm on seventeen!" "Argh! I'll have no pointy-ear outscoring me!" "Nineteen!" More ladders rise against the walls as a strange armoured Uruk Make its way though the maze of thorns with an explosive.


	20. Atropa Belladonna, Fear The Plants

The Ent's hover, making low voices, Treebeard approaches the hobbits, "Merry." "We have just agreed." He seems to fall asleep for a moment but wakes as merry ask for him to continue, "Yes?" "I have told your names to the Entmoot and we have agreed: you are not orcs." "Well that's good news." "And what about Saruman? Have you come to a decision about him?" "Now don't be hasty, Master Meriadoc." "Hasty?! Our friends are out there. They need our help! They cannot fight this war on their own." "War, yes. It affects us all. But you must understand young hobbit. It takes a long time to say anything in old Entish, and we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say." "then it is time that the dryads acted then if this that is the fate of all things from the olvar to the animated kelvar is beneath your notice for the world is unfurling her arms for the first time since this world was young and as such she is more vulnerable than ever if you cannot look at this world and see this then you have been blinded to it " with this said, Derw who had not spoken since arriving after they had set off for the entmoot, stood and made her way into the deep wood as she had sensed deep anger in the forest closest Isengard and it was mirroring her anger for letting her mate go back to Gondor while she was still to vulnerable to leave the forest with her womb still carrying their child and the as if by magic she put her hand on the first tree she came to and spoke to it in a language even the Ents had stopped using since the time of the trees and before then for it was a language that was like listening to the wind through the leafs and was not the long winded over complicated language that the ents used, it was the language of the dryads and it was like music ringing through the forest long forgotten but ever craved for an for the first time since the battle of the last alliance the ents of old began to come back from the shadow that had turned them into trees. The tree where her had was placed acted as a conduit for her powers as around it and spreading, Flowers of golden light illuminated the canopy and on the ground like small daisy's came silver bluebell like flowers and Fangorn was being cast back into light and the long anger that's reason was so long forgotten was lifted from the place, and all the trees whispered of the old days were the dryads roamed in the great halls of the Huorns and danced and sang to and with them. The place looked like it did no longer the place of decay and misery, it was full of light and life and the forest shook with joy as its shadows lifted and in the night sky all the way from Mirkwood to Rivendell over the mountains there was a glow that cast of the shadows and the stars started to glow back in response and all men and all elves who saw the light from miles around saw hope renewed for this light pierced the shadow and purified the darkness, it passed down deep to the halls of Moria where their roots grew from the ceiling and cast purification and healing in to the hearts of orcs and goblins that still battles the revived dwarves and they were transformed from the creatures of the dark back into creatures of the dusk and memory.

back to Derw who had watched the awakening of the forests light she cast her mind back to the task at hand, "show me the place that angers all trees," and the forest responded by looking back through her mind and showing here the charred desert by Isengard and she looked back at the ents as they stared at the being that had was of the founding race of trees for the dryads where many things but at their heart they were the heart of the forest they healed they revived and they loved first and hated after they were the forests emotions incarnate and like all trees they had long memory's they had lived through the spring of Arda and had woke Yavanna's trees and made their own for no tree that a dryad touched was ever just a tree and like how the ents appeared before the hobbits dryads started to forest walk again and in their footsteps grew flowers of a forgotten ages and with the dryads came ents long faded and entwives long gone for to the south where the brown lands used to stand was a forest garden filled with golden, green and silver trees all casting music in harmony to the reawakened light of the forest and for the first time since the springs of long lost days the ents sang with the dryads in a chorus of forgotten songs long thought dead and as the dryads brought more life back to Fangorn small creatures long faded to the world came from the lights like fire flies in the night but if you looked closely the where the fairy's and pixies of forgotten forest dreams and children's stories and they too joined the song and this song carried for miles all the way to Isengard where even the corrupted wizard could see the light from his chambers high in the tower, the forest he had cut had been restored with magic older then the Maiar for this was a song of the earth is was then that his tower shook for a moment and as he saw below him trees where surrounding the great fortress but did not move into the grounds for their was evil that only a dryad could restore and purify from darkness, but Saruman new not what was happening and as he looked out from his tower all the great plains filled with trees as they were in the time before men when the elves had just awoken, it was like Melkor had never destroyed the primordial forests and their songs grew strong once more and it would be heard for this world had so long gone without the help it needed.

Back at the entmoot the ents and dryads finished their songs and the light in Fangorn faded until it just enshrouded the forest, they talked of what was happening at helms deep and what Saruman had done to the forest of Fangorn and for the first time I over two ages of the world the ents made their last march for middle earth and their wrath were aimed at Isengard. As the ents and Dryads made their way through the forest the trees hummed long into the night and the nest morning.


	21. Of Water And Air

p class="MsoNormal"The fighting at Helm's Deep continues. Gimli hacks away with his axe counting all the Uruks he has slain in a bid to outdo Legolas, "Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty-one. Twenty-two." A group of Uruks, covered in shields, approach the main gate. "Northway! Nauthannen!" The elves shoot, and many of the Uruks fall down. Becoming arrogant the king says smuggle as if he had expected more of a challenge, "Is this it? Is this all you can conjure, Saruman?" Below, the troops carry Saruman's explosives to the drain from deep under the moving mass of thorns. An Uruk soldier carrying a bright torch runs towards the hole that some of the others were fighting to keep clear, "Togo hon dad, Legolas! Dago hon!" (Legolas, stop him! Kill him!) Legolas hits the Uruk with two arrows, but fails to kill it, letting the Uruk-hai light the explosives, A large part of the wall explodes, Théoden looks upon in shock, huge boulders fly through the air. Aragorn lies on the ground, unconscious. Saruman's army starts to crowd through the hole in the wall and the wall of thorns. At the gates, the Uruks try to break through, "Brace the gates!" The men run to the gate and try to hold it, as the Uruks pound from the other side, "Hold them! Stand fast!" Men (including one that looks a great deal like the belching oaf from Bree) throw rocks and spears down on the orcs below. Aragorn regains consciousness as the Uruks run towards him. Gimli sees this and jumps down from the wall, landing in a pool. He hacks the attacking Uruks. "Gimli! Prepare to charge!" Gimli continues fighting, but is hit and falls in to the pool, "Hado i philinn!" (Hurl the arrows!) "Herio!" (Charge!) They attack, Aragorn leading them, Legolas takes a shield from the ground and rides down the stairs on it, shooting arrows at the Uruks, the Uruks continue flowing in from the hole in the wall, but they are met by men and elves and a dwarf. Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn are fighting, "Aragorn, pull back to the gate!" Théoden as they have lost the wall and the deep behind, Aragon looks from the king to his elven friend on the wall "Am Marad!" (To the Keep!) "Nan barad! Haldir! Nan barad!" (Pull back! Haldir! Pull back!) Haldir nods at him and calls for the others, Gimli is dragged away by two brave elves, "What are you doing? Stop it!" Haldir calls for his men, but he does not see any Uruk behind him and is struck. Haldir stumbles in pain, as he looks around. Behind him, another Uruk strikes Haldir at his back. "Haldir!" Haldir falls on his knees, as Aragorn fights his way up the stairs. Haldir looks around in disbelief, and sees all the dead and dying elves around him. Aragorn rushes to Haldir as a bubble grows around all the elves that have fallen in battle and high above them a storm brews the likes of which no one in history had seen since the last stand of the sylphs against Melkor before he and the over Vala forced them in to sleep and as the Deeping river started to swell with more water Villia swept across the plain and take all the fallen humans and elves with them and as Afon walks up to Aragon and places her hands on Haldir's wounds they start to heal. The spirits of the rivers starts to glow a mystic blue it illuminates the whole of the Deeping plain and casts out the darkness for a brief time. The elf in Aragorn's arms has disappeared in the healing waters "fear not Aragon he and his brothers and yours will all be saved and returned home but he will not be able to battle for some time I'm afraid." Aragorn stands and looks at his Villia friend and as he is about to speak she unleashes a torrent of frozen water at the Uruk-hai approach him. He looks shocked behind him at the frozen creature before turning to her and nodding then he leaves her to her job as he heads for the king knowing that she will be perfectly safe by the river and in the rain. As a group of Uruks approach and get in his way bolt of lightning blasts from the sky as sylphs sing faster and the Uruks are hit as the lightning chains from the first to the ones behind him, clearing the way for Aragon as he salutes the sylphs for their help. /p 


	22. Old Magic Stones

"Brace the gate!" Gamling says as the gate is almost broken. "To the gate! Draw your swords!" The king, with his men, tries to defend the breaking gate. "We can't hold much longer." Gamling says as Aragorn rushes to the gate, "Hold them!" "How long do you need?" "As long as you can give me!" "Gimli!" Aragon calls to the dwarf before going to a secret doorway sneak around to the other side of the gate. Aragorn takes a peek at the many Uruks, "Come on. We can take 'em!" Gimli says as if it were not at least fifty rabid creatures, "It's a long way." Gimli glances over Aragorn and then the gap before saying embarrassed "Toss me." "What?" Aragon looks at Gimli as if he has lost his mind, "I cannot jump the distance so you have to toss me." Aragorn nods and is about to throw Gimli, but the dwarf stops him, "Eh… Don't tell the elf Or Maleficent I'll never hear the end of it." "Not a word." Aragorn throws Gimli, and jumps after him. The two battle the troops at the gate as Théoden sees the gate he shouts "Shore up the door!" as more men arrive. Saruman's army puts up more ladders as Legolas shoots the chain for one of the ladders. It falls, crushing some of the Uruks below, The men try to seal the gates, as Aragorn and Gimli continue fighting on the other side as Théoden looked throw the hole in the gate and shouts as it is about to be fixed, "Gimli! Aragorn! Get out of there!" as he removes his head a plank replaces it, just as more Uruks make their way at them a huge gust of wind knocks the Uruks of the high path to the gates and into the rocks of the mountain, Gimli and Aragon turn to look they see the sylphs commanding the wind from the battlement above as Legolas is standing up on the wall as calls down "Aragorn!" and throws down a rope. Aragorn, holding Gimli with him, jumps on to the hanging rope. Legolas pulls them both up with the help of Maleficent and some of the older children that she had not sent back to the caves, more ladders rise and Uruks start to beat the humans and elves back. "Pull everybody back. Pull them back!" "Fall back! Fall back!" "They have broken through. The castle is breached! Retreat" "Fall back! Retreat! Retreat!" all this was shouted and as more and more made their way to the last defence before the cave.

Frodo and Sam approach a city, "Look. Osgiliath burns. Mordor has come." "The Ring will not save Gondor. It has only the power to destroy. Please, let me go." Frodo's please thought fall on death ears, "Hurry." Faramir looks at Frodo, but motions his men to move. "Faramir, you must let me go!" and still the young captain of Gondor ignore the small hobbits pleas.

Back with Treebeard as he carryies the hobbits near Isengard, "And a little family of field mice that climb up sometimes and it tickle me awfully. They're always trying to get somewhere —" Treebeard stops as he sees cut and burned trees surrounded by new growing trees, "Many of these trees were my friends. Creatures I had known from nut and acorn for them to be killed like this is a monstrosity why." Treebeard looks to the new trees that now stand where his old trees used to stand as they look at Isengard, "I'm sorry, Treebeard." Pippin says looking at his newest, "They had voices of their own." Treebeard looks past the ruined old forest of blackened earth and new trees to the furnaces of Isengard, "Saruman! A wizard should know better!" Treebeard's leaves ruffle in anger, he then lets out a powerful cry that echoes through the forests, "There is no curse in Elvish, Entish or the tongues of Men for this treachery." As he feels the blackened earth beneath his feet, "Look at the trees, they're moving!" pippin says looking at the great hoard of Huorns marching on Helms Deep "Where are they going?" merry asks Treebread he answers but he is clearly angered by the sight of new trees covering where some of his friends had once stood but at the same time he is pleased that the trees standing in their place are from his friends seeds and seedlings "They have business with the orcs. My business is with Isengard tonight. With a rock and stone." The hobbits look as Ents march out from the forest. "Yes!" "Rárum-rum! Come my friends. The Ents are going to war. It is likely that we go to our doom, the last march of the Ents." The Ents march towards Isengard and the blackened earth begins to cover in grasses and wild flowers as the dryads move with them.


	23. Stars In The Deep

Osgiliath is under attack, Faramir and his prisoners enter the city as a report comes in, "Faramir, orcs have taken the eastern shore. Their numbers are too great. By nightfall we'll be overrun." Frodo stumbles as if a great weight had just been added to him, "Mister Frodo" Sam tries to help him as Frodo speaks, "It's calling to him, Sam. His eye is almost on me." "Hold on, Mister Frodo." Sam continues speaking, but Frodo can no longer hear him, "Take them to my father. Tell him, Faramir sends a mighty gift. A weapon that will change our fortunes in this war." Faramir turns to leave Sam desperate to get them to freedom says something true but at the same time cold to someone who is trying to do the right thing "You wanna know what happened to Boromir? You wanna know why your brother and we had to separate? (At this Faramir looks interested for the raven had not told him this) He tried to take the Ring from Frodo. After swearing an oath to protect him. He tried to kill him! The Ring drove your brother mad!" at this revelation Faramir looked like he had been punched in the balls (HARD).

A cries from somewhere comes "Look out!" As a tower is hit with a boulder and crumbles. The call from the Ring is heard again, "Mister Frodo?" Sam says looking at Frodo who has gone as pale as a sheet of parchment looks to Sam in return, "They're here. They've come." The cry of a Nazgûl is heard and Faramir shouts the warning while he looks at the paling hobbit, "Nazgûl!" A Nazgûl on a winged beast flies over Osgiliath. Frodo stares at it, as the men around him start to run; Gollum is terrified and hides at Diaval's command and flees to the shadows out of the sight of the men. Faramir grabs the hobbits and leads them to cover, "Stay here. Keep out of sight. Take cover!"

At Fort Eorlingas, Uruks try to break through the inner door. "The fortress is taken. It is over." Théoden says defeated to Aragon as he tries to fight for the men and raise their moral "You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They have died defending it!" A loud bang at the door is heard. The women and children in the caves cower in fear as the Villia and the sylphs try to calm them, "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" The king and his men remain silent, "Is there no other way?" "There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many." Aragorn grabs Gamling by his shoulder, "Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!" Maleficent steps forward and looks at Aragon "we will guard the way I can no longer interfere with the events that are to come but I can see them to safety" at this she turns to the men and looks at the door and says under her breath "Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East well you better be on time Gandalf" "So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?" The Uruk-hai keep trying to break the door, "Ride out with me." Théoden turns to face Aragorn, "Ride out and meet them." "For death and glory?" Théoden says regaining his composure, "For Rohan. For your people." "The sun is rising." Gimli says as he looks to a small window where the light streams through Aragorn looks up to the window as the sun rises and remembers what Gandalf said to him, "Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East." "Yes. Yes! The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep, one last time." "Yes!" Gimli says feeling the atmosphere shift to one of a worrier from that of a man who had given up.

Gimli climbs up to blow the horn "Let this be the hour when we draw swords together." As he and Aragon wait for the doors to give he resists "Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath, now for ruin, and the red dawn!" Gimli blows in to the horn and great streams of air are displaced by the sound of the horn and the doors give in as Uruks stream in yelling and screaming, Théoden yells in his native speech as they prepare to charge "Forð Eorlingas!" The King rides out with Aragorn, Legolas and his men by his side. They fight as Gimli blows the horn. The men fight down the causeway into the Uruk army. Aragorn stops and looks up. He sees Gandalf on the back of Shadowfax, Aragorn says in relief, "Gandalf." Théoden turns to look up, as he see Gandalf, "Théoden king stands alone." Èomer rides up alongside Gandalf, "Not alone." Èomer draws his sword and shouts to his men, "Rohirrim!" "Èomer!" Theodor says as he sees his nephew on the cliff, "To the king!" Gandalf and the Rohirrim charge down a hill to Uruk-hai. The Uruk-hai point their spears at them, but are blinded when the sun rises the horsemen crash into the Uruks like a wave of water that catches the sun light on a bright day.


	24. Brotherly Love

Ents enter Isengard, throwing boulders, while Orcs try to defend Isengard but fined that they can't move for the vines that bind them and start to purify them or are squashed by the Ents. One of the Ents is pulled down, and orcs climb on to it, chopping it with their axes. Treebeard then throws a stone, saving his fellow Ent, The hobbits cheer. Saruman runs out to his balcony and watches as creatures long to his knowledge asleep where battling with ents. Merry and Pippin throw rocks on the orcs below, "A hit. A fine hit." One of the Ents is set on fire with lit arrows. Saruman watches at his balcony. "Break the dam! Release the river!" An Ent's pulls open the beams supporting the dam, the dam breaks and masses of water flow in and as it sweeps through the forest to the blackened and scorched earth of Isengard Saruman sees the water glow and heal the injured ents and dryads as it passes at a slower pace and looks to be women healing and caring for them, "Hold on, little hobbits!" Treebeard says as the water passes and the villia heal and embrace the ents leader whispering thank you to him for having them released, The Ents stand still and embraces the water as they flow down in to the fires of Isengard, flooding everything. The Ent on fire is saved by the Villia's water. The water glows blue and starts to help the dryads purify and heal he land of Saruman poisons.

Osgiliath is attacked by the Nazgûl; Frodo slowly starts to walk away from Sam in a deep trance, "What are you doing?" Sam asks seeing Frodo walking away, The Nazgûl approaches, "Where are you going!" (4Is it just me or is it weird that Sam did not go after him in the movie?) Frodo stands alone on a wall, staring at the Nazgûl in front of him. Frodo raises his hand, holding the Ring; Faramir turns to look at him. Frodo moves to put on the Ring as and a shadow from the other side of the old the stone bridge runs up to Frodo and jumps on him and rolled him to the stairs dodging the attacking beast, Faramir shoots the winged beast with his bow as a black dart in the form of Diaval attacks its face as his feathers black its vision from its prey. The hobbit and man roll down the stairs and Frodo falls on to a shocked Sam as the man lay for a moment at the bottom of the stairs. Frodo draws Sting and points it at Sam's neck in a daze of confusion and the rings growing control. In Sam's shock at the blade in his neck and the fact that the eyes of his friend as fearful and unfocused Sam in an effort to snap Frodo out of it says, "It's me. It's your Sam." Frodo blinks his eyes, watching Sam, who has tears falling from his eyes. "Don't you know your Sam?" Slowly, Frodo gets off Sam, panting. He falls down and drops his sword. "I can't do this, Sam." Sam gets up as a fearful Gollum looks on from his hiding place. "I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are." Sam watches the Nazgûl fly away still under attack from the raven and arrows that pierce the fell beasts flesh. "It's like in the great stories, Mister Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened, But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mister Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn't. Because they were holding on to something." Frodo is sitting behind Sam, leaning on a wall, with tears in his eyes, "What are we holding on to, Sam?" Sam walks to Frodo and lifts him up, "That there's some good in this world, Mister Frodo. And it's worth fighting for." "he specks truth Frodo though it may be hard to see even in the dwindle light of the city of stars (Osgiliath)," at this the two hobbits turned to look stunned at a very different looking Boromir, for his eyes once blue where the colour of leaves just grown and he gave of the feeling of the forest in spring, he no longer looked to be in pain as he did the last time Frodo and Sam had seen him as the ring had won its control, "Boromir!" they exclaimed with joy, "it is good to see you again after what happened but why are you here in this place and not with Aragon and Maleficent?" at their perplexed looks he raised his brow, "so it's true what Aragon said he did let you go." At that moment Diaval chose to fly to Boromir's shoulder after having driven of the fell beast, "they did not go without consent and at the time it was the wisest course of action for them for while the women in the group were not affected because they chose to stay closer to my mistress and her magical presences was strong enough to block the rings affect for the most part it was effecting the rest of you though!" At this Boromir nodded his head and apologised to Frodo for this actions the last time they met, Faramir walks to them shocking his brother and the hobbits

As he kneels before Frodo, "I think at last we understand one another, Frodo Baggins." For he had not stood idle he had been around listening and chosen to join them round the corner and as his men joined him the saw Boromir and bowed to him as he made his way to his little brother, "you should let them go brother for they cannot tarry in this place much longer for his eye has moved onto this place and Diaval cannot conceal them much longer" he says noticing that the raven on his shoulder was shuddering, at that moment one of Faramir older men says "You know the laws of our country. The laws of your father. If you let them go, your life will be forfeit." At this Boromir stepped forward and placed his hand on his brother's shoulder Faramir looks at his men "I vouch for these hobbits and say to release them if a life is forfeit it will be mine, Release them." And with that Boromir release his brother and takes him to the side and spoke of his journey back to Gondor and with the fellowship. "I have much to tell you brother and I will start with the fact that I will soon be the father to an immortal child for I have wed a dryad in their custom." At the last part Faramir looked at his brother from joy and happiness to one of curiousness, "are their custom much different from ours, the hand fasting? (I have no clue how humans in the lord of the rings got married this is purely based on how I imagine them to marry.)" At that last comment Boromir blushes and turns away from his brother who looks at him like he has grown a second head that breaths fire and spouts rubbish for he had never seen Boromir flounder over a subject such as this. "there custom would be looked at as a very intimate one and would be one many women in our society would no longer do let alone talk about," and he kept going like this for a good ten minute until Faramir had had enough and snapped at him to just spit it out, "its sex ok brother, you happy now it the act of sex." At this Faramir just burst into laughter and proceeded to tease his blushing brother. This continued for quite a while till Boromir and Faramir went back to the waiting hobbits a still giggling Faramir trailing behind and making comments like "please let me be in the room when you tell father".


	25. Trees And Freindship

The Uruks run from Helm's Deep and into a line of trees that had sprung up jurying the battle to no one's notice cutting of the Uruks escape. Out of nowhere a great wind announces, maleficent stands next to Èomer. "Keep your men away from the trees if they wish to live." At this he gave her a strange look before giving the order "Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees!" The Uruks run into the forest as fast as they can away from the horsemen and into unparalleled danger. It groans and sways. Horrible sounds emerge like the crunching of bones and screams that would haunt the dreams of many men for years where all that alerted the men of the deaths of the Uruks till as if in a sea of movement the tees all started moving and killing the foul beings for though the forest of Fangorn had been healed some angers must be settled by blood. As the screaming's stopped and the movement halted the forest parted and made a way through large enough for the horsemen to get through the riders went back to the fortress collecting the dead and injured at Maleficents bequest to be revived and healed. Back after watching the forest part and make a path for travellers Èowyn touches Aragorn's face and smiles in relief for him still being alive. The two embrace, the Rohirrim are clearing Uruk bodies from the battle field within Helms Deep. Gimli sits on one, smoking his pipe looking quite content as Legolas was over, "Final count: forty-two." Legolas say as he reveals how many Uruks he had killed "Forty-two?! That's not bad for a pointy-eared elvish princeling. I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three." Legolas frowns He draws his bow and shoots Gimli's Uruk between his pated legs far two close for comfort, "Forty three." Legolas says just to piss Gimli off, "He was already dead." Gimli says in a disgruntled way "He was twitching." Legolas tries to defend, "He was twitching because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system!" Gimli says wiggles the axes handle, making the Uruk twitch.


	26. Walk Towards Darkness

Merry and Pippin stand waist-deep in water they look up at the balcony of Orthanc, "He doesn't look too happy, does he?" "Not too happy at all, Merry." Saruman and Wormtounge stalk along the balcony. "Still, I suppose the view would be quite nice form up there." "Oh yes, a quality establishment. I hear the staff are very good." Merry surreptitiously tries to measure his height against Pippin's. Pippin looks back at him, and Merry pretends to be picking something out of his hair, "What are you doing?" "Nothing. The world's back to normal, that's all." Merry says and smiles as he is the taller of the hobbits. "No it isn't. I'm starving." Pippin says while rubbing his stomach, "Good luck trying to find something decent around here. Probably only dead rats and mouldy bread." Merry says as Pippin finds an apple floating in the water. He looks up remembering his time going to Rivendell with strider, and then he smiles, more apples are floating. He grabs them, then drops them to pick up a roast chicken, then finds a whole basket of apples. Merry finds a carafe of wine. They enter a storeroom filled with food. "Saruman's storeroom!" Pippin says looking at the food. They see barrels marked 'Southfarthing', "I don't believe it." Pippin exclaims in joy, "It can't be." Merry says mirroring pippins statement, "It is." Pippin says looking at the barrels. They open a barrel and stare at if in wonder, "Longbottom Leaf. The finest pipe-weed in South Farthing." "It's perfect, One barrel each. Wait. Do you think we should share it with Treebeard?" "Share it? No, No, Dead plant and all that. Don't think he'd understand. Could be a distant relative." "I get it. Don't be hasty." "Exactly. Bar-hrum." Treebeard peeks into the storeroom as smoke begins to billow out and takes a great sniff as his Nose fill with smoke.

Meanwhile, Faramir his brother and the hobbits, Diaval is perched on Boromir's shoulder still as they wade through the flooded city to an alcove. Gollum follows in their shadow, "This is the old sewer. Runs right under the river through to the edge of the city. You'll find cover in the woods there." "Captain Faramir, you have shown your quality, sir. The very highest." Sam says looking at the young man with a look of friendship. "The Shire must truly be a great realm, Master Gamgee, where gardeners are held in high honour. What road will you take once you reach the woods?" to which Frodo answers "Gollum says there's a path near Minas Morgul that climbs up into the mountains." At this Faramir and Boromir look up and say together, "Cirith Ungol?" Gollum crawls past him; Faramir grabs Gollum and holds him by the neck with incredible speed, "Is that its name?" "No. No! Yes." he final says in desperation, turning to Frodo Faramir warns, "Frodo, they say a dark terror dwells in the passes above Minas Morgul. You cannot go that way." At this Gollum looks at the man and says in a very quiet voice "It is the only way. Master says we must go to Mordor, so we must try." "I must." Faramir throws Gollum down as if he was burn touching the small creature, "Go, Frodo. Go with the goodwill of all Men." "Thank you." Frodo and Sam start off. Faramir grabs Gollum again, "May death find you quickly if you bring them to harm." He flings Gollum toward the sewer, Gollum limps away. Faramir turns to his brother to see is look mirrors his for they now what lies there and no man will speak its name for the ancient fear this creature brings all men that heard of her sire the creature that devours light and is cloaked by its undoing.

Gandalf and his company sit on their horses, they look towards Mordor, "Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift. The battle for Helm's Deep is over. The battle for Middle-Earth is about to begin. All our hopes now lie with two little hobbits. Somewhere in the wilderness." He says to his companions but maleficent speaks, "and a raven of the fay world and the creature Gollum who fate has now been decided by Boromir's actions." And with this revelation she turns leaving a shocked group of people as he took flight to speak with the Sylphs as another of the black birds flew to her from up on high. "Well she makes things interesting," Aragon says to Gandalf as he heads back to the fortress having gotten used to maleficent doing this.

Back with Frodo, Sam, and Gollum as they walk through a skeletal wood of bear trees, "I wonder if we'll ever be put into songs or tales." Sam says musing to himself "What?" Frodo says court of guard by Sam's words, "I wonder if people will ever say, 'Let's hear about Frodo and the Ring.' And they'll say 'Yes, that's one of my favourite stories. Frodo was really courageous, wasn't he, dad.' 'Yes, my boy, the most famousest of hobbits. And that's saying a lot.'" "You left out one of the chief characters. Samwise the Brave. I want to hear more about Sam." Frodo stops to look at Sam, "Frodo wouldn't have got far without Sam." Frodo says while wearing the first true smile since the hobbits broke with the fellowship. "Now Mister Frodo, you shouldn't make fun. I was being serious." Sam says thinking he's being made fun of, "So was I. Samwise the Brave." What lays ahead Mount Doom and Barad-Dûr, being circled by flying Nazgûl and the never ending glow of wicked light from Mt Doom and the over volcanoes.


End file.
